The Devil's Contract
by My Hopeless Romantic
Summary: Post AW. They’re both painfully stubborn, constantly at the other’s throat. Mikan wants nothing to do with him but Natsume won’t give her much of a choice. ’Cause they both refuse to give in. It’s about who’ll be the one watching as the other falls. #6
1. Nothing Personal

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Gakuen Alice. The plot is reminiscent of Ugly Betty and you'll see a lot of parallels but with a Gakuen Alice twist. Happy reading!

* * *

**The Devil's Contract**

_If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried.  
-Anonymous_

_Chapter 1. Nothing Personal_

_-;-_

"With all of this, what more could you possibly want, Mr. Hyuuga?"

Without looking away from the window, Natsume briefly caught sight of his best friend's form reflecting on the pristinely cleaned glass and the telltale wisps of air as Ruka flipped through the magazines on his desk. He didn't even have to check the look on the boy's face to know there was a knowing, Cheshire grin on his face.

"Ruka," he turned, eyebrow relaxed, "—what are you doing?"

The blond shrugged with an air of indifference that countered the smirk of triumph on his face. The cheeks that were once plump during his childhood had disappeared leaving his cheeks all smooth and hard planes. His bright blue eyes were enhanced by the pair of firmly sculpted dark blond eyebrows and the lashes that surrounded his eyes accentuated his light features even further.

"I thought you might get a kick out of these magazines." Ruka's grin widened at the tightening of Natsume's lips and spread out three thick magazines on his desk.

Natsume rolled his eyes at Ruka's usual morning cheerfulness before pulling his seat out and slumping bored on the cushion. Frowning at Ruka's insistent smile, he looked blandly at the pile of magazines with an expression of half annoyance and half expectance.

"I wonder how they manage to always find something about you to write about," Ruka commented, mock serious. "You'd think that after the Alice War, the Alice journalists would think of lying low and letting the thing go away but here they are, wedging every page about you on it. I wonder why those non-Alices still pick these things up when they have absolutely no idea what's so great about you."

At that, Natsume let a slow smirk fall on his lips before reaching for the first magazine, eyes brushing the cover and through the pages with mild interest. "They don't have anybody else to write about," his eyes flashed quickly to Ruka's face, red eyes amused. "Maybe you should run down the street in one of those ridiculous outfits Imai made you wear back at the—" the light from his eyes dimmed, something that Ruka hadn't missed. Clearing his throat, Natsume looked back to the magazine, "—that place."

He could feel Ruka's dark gaze on his face and nonchalantly, Natsume raised the magazine higher to cover the frown on his face and read the first article that caught his attention. It wasn't quite a surprise to Natsume when he found his stern, slightly enhanced photo in the top right hand corner of the page, taking about a quarter of the whole article. Briefly, Natsume thought again how he'd never thought owning a company as diverse as his would garner him so much attention.

_Annoying fools_, Natsume scoffed.

Ruka had said it earlier, there was always something in the magazines or in newspapers that featured him. Whether it was because of the diverse empire that he owned or the fact that he'd won the "Hottest Bachelor" for the third time since he'd gotten out of the … Academy—Natsume didn't know but he was rather displeased to find article after article that featured half-lies and far too much exaggeration.

It was annoying to find a bunch of girls crowding the corporation doors in the mornings after reading an obviously unrealistic article about how he was desperately looking for "the one and only" girl that would take a seat at his right, to be his queen. The brief flashback made a sick lump form in his throat before he swallowed it, eyes immediately honing onto the article and ignoring the blurred memory of a brown-haired brunette back when he was in the Academy. His heart had stopped beating the day he left that place, Natsume liked to think. Someday… someday he'd have to get it back.

His fingers clenched the magazine once more and he forced himself to read.

**Monthly Millionaires**

_Natsume Hyuuga has outdone himself once again with the release of his latest product, the "Haptops"… _

…_welcoming over five million into his already overflowing bank account in the first week…_

… _especially since he owns over seventy-five percent of the stocks of Japan's Trustiest Bank…_

_What will the prodigy do next to stun the world?_

_In an interview last week, the young entrepreneur stated:  
"_Just a little something the world can remember me by_."_

_As if we could ever forget this revolutionizing man that has changed life as we know it._

"_Natsume Hyuuga, the world can't get enough of you…"_

He heard someone laugh from above him and he looked up, slightly annoyed to have forgotten about his small audience.

"There's an especially interesting article in Tokyo Times, Natsume," Ruka piped in, drumming his fingers on Natsume's desk. There was a permanent smirk on his face when Natsume rolled his eyes.

"The world can't get enough of me," he quoted, flipping through the newspaper. "You can give this to Imai. I know she's crazy about me," he teased, throwing the magazine calling him the "sexiest man alive".

Ruka caught it swiftly with a mock hurt expression on his face. "Right," he rolled his eyes, "Hotaru would rather eat a metal fork than fall in love with you," Ruka replied, rolling up the magazine. "Speaking of relationships, you're the one that can't seem to get a girlfriend of your own."

Natsume contained a wince before glaring at his best friend, voice icy, "You know there's never been anyone but her."

Ruka smiled, trying to hide the sympathy for his friend before slapping him on the back. Trying to lighten the mood, he smiled slowly, "Yeah... well the Financial Post wants to know when you're going to take over the world."

Natsume shook his head with a bitter smirk, "All in due time."

Ruka chuckled and shook his head before turning towards the door, "I'll see you later, I guess."

He watched his childhood friend leave the room and leaned back in his chair with a sigh. Swiveling the chair to face the window directly behind him, Natsume watched the sea of heads that passed below on the streets of Tokyo, bustling and bumping into each other, trying to get to their destinations.

_"You're the one that can't seem to get a girlfriend of your own."_

Natsume snorted and shook his head, leaning his chin onto his open palm.

It had been three light years after the Alice War that reigned over the span of his last year of Alice Academy and Natsume still couldn't get over the changes that had taken place because of it. Classes had resumed at a fast pace, dishing out assignment after assignment just to keep all of the students busy. The panic that had flooded the place he'd once called home was palpable when the Anti-Alice Organization had started to take action; their moves were always more drastic than the last.

_Drastic_.

That was a good way to describe the actions that took place on Alice Academy's part, Natsume mused bitterly. Even then, maybe drastic was an understatement.

Natsume frowned and looked down at the Tokyo Times. He was turning page after page idly when an article caught his eye. At the bottom right hand corner, was a small article, filler that took up no more than an eighth of the page. But what shook him to the core wasn't the fact that the article had no reference to him. No—he was more surprised to find his heart had started beating rapidly knowing the article was about a deranged girl by the name of Mikan Sakura.

* * *

She should have been happy.

One of Japan's most _popular _newspapers had a segment on her!

_Finally._

Fashion was a tough business. There were countless designers, workers and _people_ that have always wished to delve into the world of fashion, models, make-up and hair but have never been able to make it. Whether it was the physical and emotional strain of the work, the financial difficulties or the greater responsibilities that have outweighed the dream, just a handful of these people were able to make it—_really_ make it.

And Mikan Sakura was a girl that would definitely make it. It wasn't that she was cocky about her talents or certain about the future. Truth be told, the only way she knew she'd make it was because she was unwilling to give up. This was something that she loved to do and it didn't matter that she was low on funds and that she seemed to have the worst luck to ever grace the life of one person. It didn't matter because she had drive and she had passion and she was persistent. That and she refused to lose what little dreams she'd managed to keep together.

She'd made a promise when she was younger and she wouldn't go back down on her dream. At least, Mikan thought firmly, she knew she wasn't the type of person to go back on her word.

She had finally made it or she would be there soon. She should have been happy.

But she wasn't.

Because in her hands was a bill telling her she had a fat debt to the bank.

She pulled out a calculator and punched in the digits. The fifty thousand dollar loan, rent, groceries and sewing supplies… it was a mistake and she had the receipts to prove…

_Oh God… _

Mikan's stomach turned and she lurched across the room and down the narrow halls before throwing herself to the ground, heaving what gross mess of vomit she'd accumulated in her stomach into the toilet.

_She was over eighty thousands dollars indebted to the bank._ Her mind was spinning with the thought.

She collapsed back onto the couch while clutching the devil's written letter with a thousand thoughts ricocheting off the walls of her brain, all the while wondering, _How could this have happened?_

She'd calculated it all and though she hadn't started out too smart at the Academy, she'd quickly learned after a sudden urgent incident in her last year in the Academy that it was time to grow up a little bit. She'd been pleasantly surprised to find with her maturing mind came the third top ranking student in her graduating class behind Hotaru and Iinchou.

How had things fallen a part at the seams so quickly? Everything was going so _perfectly. _How could this happen! And more importantly, what was she going to do about it?

The doorbell rang and she jolted to her feet. Were the cops here to get her? She stuffed the bill under the cushion of the sofa and walked slowly towards the door. At the third ring, she turned the door knob, opened the door wide and promptly collapsed against the doorframe.

"Oh, Koko!" she breathed out a long breath, "You startled me! What are you doing here?"

"It's Sunday, silly," he rolled his eyes, the signature goofy grin on his face. "I'm here to take you out."

She coughed. "I can't Koko, I… ah… have to finish up some more sketches."

His bright expression fell. "Aw … c'mon Mikan! You work too hard anyway and don't think we didn't see your bit in the paper today!" he urged, brown eyes bright with congratulations. "We're supposed to celebrate at times like these and when you come back with alcohol in your system and some awesome cooking from Anna, you can get your butt back here and sew all the buttons you want. I promise!"

She paled and the change didn't go unnoticed by Koko's sharp eyes. He straightened, playfulness gone from his lenient position and he stuck his hands out to steady her shoulders. "Whoa, are you okay?" he asked, eyes wide with worry. "You're looking really pale."

"I'm fine," she said above a whisper.

"You haven't been overworking yourself again, have you?" he scolded suspiciously, narrowing his light brown eyes and glancing over her petite form.

"A little," she conceded sheepishly, eyes drifting away from his face. "I'm just a little tired so how about you go and hang out with the gang and I'll sleep in. I go to next week's dinner, I promise."

She shifted her feet from one to the other and looked up at him apologetically, his unruly blonde hair catching the wind outside and whipping it around on top of his head. "Do you want me to take you to the pharmacy? Maybe you just need a check up and some sleep."

She put a hand on his arm and shook her head. "No, really. I'm totally fine. I'll just catch some sleep and I'll be as good as new tomorrow," she promised, all the while wondering how she could sound so _calm_ when there was a mini _war_ inside her stomach. If Koko didn't go now, she'd spew the contents of her lunch all over him… again.

"You aren't having troubles, are you?" he asked finally, his hands falling from her shoulders and making their way into his pockets. "Because all you have to do is ask. You know I'm not doing too bad as a lawyer and Anna's restaurant and bakery are doing great and God knows Imai has been as relaxed as can be. All you have to do is ask, ok? All of us need a little help sometimes. You've always been stubborn but don't get yourself into too much trouble when we're here, hm?"

His words shook her resolve but she held firm and forced her lips to curve upward in a semblance of her usual smile. "I'm fine, it's great. Really," she pressed.

He smiled with relief. "Yeah, I won't worry about you. You'll have everything under control like you always do. You were always the dependable one out of all of us. Our constant," he finished with a grin.

_If only you knew how wrong you were, Koko._

"Okay then. Next weekend," he said sternly. "You—me—gang at Anna's place." He grinned at her nod and turned to leave. "Good night!"

"Good night," she said, smiling as she closed the door but when the latch was in place, she crumpled to the ground, sulking.

"What am I going to do?" she moaned.

And for the first time, Mikan regretted the day she tried her luck in the fashion business.

She unlocked the door with a flourish and threw her jacket over her shoulders, closing the door behind her. A walk would do her some good, she hoped.

The fresh air tackled her hair as it had with Koko's and it sent her long, brown hair tumbling around her shoulders. Her goldish brown locks were turning somewhat reddish orange and the light evenings of the summer were coming to an end as the sky turned steadily into an eerie dark blue.

She breathed out a puff of air, wisps of grey dancing before her. She shivered and pulled her jacket closer towards her body.

_I can't just give up now. It just got on the newspapers, for heaven's sake! What will the papers say?_

She was going to have to pull off several jobs and gradually pay off her debts. That would be the sensible and hard working ways that the old Mikan would do it. Might as well give it a try. She was a smart and hard working girl and there was bound to be a whole bunch of places looking for employees… right?

She'd have to do it without giving Hotaru any indication of what was going on. If Hotaru found out she was indebted to the bank… Mikan shuddered and gripped her jacket closer to her body.

With her thoughts in order and a plan quickly formulating in her head, Mikan headed down the sidewalk toward her apartment. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end and she darted her eyes left and right, sure that there was something lurking in the distance. Her Alice senses had been lax months following the Alice war but always managed to alert her when another Alice approached. She blamed it on the sensitivity of her uncle's Alice that she'd copied.

She'd have to visit him soon. She hadn't visited either of her parents or her uncle for months. The flowers have no doubt wilted…

A hand touched her shoulder and Mikan winced at the shriek of fright that left her lips.

She whirled around, her fist at the ready when she caught sight of bright red eyes and her heart thudded to a halt, her fingers uncurling voluntarily. "What are you doing here," she hissed darkly, body as stiff as a board.

Natsume Hyuuga was currently standing stoically in front of her, face as tense and handsome as she'd last seen it.

"Polka Dots," he called lightly, expression smooth.

"I asked you what you were doing here," she repeated firmly, turning on her heels and storming up the walk. "And stop calling me that ridiculous name. We're not—" she paused for a long second "—we're not there anymore. Grow up."

If she'd taken the time to inspect his face at that moment, she would've seen the dark change in his features. As quickly as the look had come, Natsume batted it away and followed her into her small apartment, eyes softening as he glanced around the small space. His hands instinctively dove into his pockets so that he could hide the white knuckled hands that he clenched tightly in her presence.

Brown eyes whirled to meet his and he fought the urge to recoil at the blank look on her usually expressive face. Not that he'd know… he hadn't seen her since the day they graduated except on the odd day he passed her on the streets without her noticing…

She cleared her throat and looked at him with narrowed eyes, "As much as I like seeing you after three years of reprieve, I have things to do Hyuuga."

The name cut him to the core but he stored the way she spat his name at the back of his mind to wallow on at a later time. "I have a proposal to make," he replied instead.

"I refuse," Mikan responded immediately.

"You haven't heard it."

Her throat constricted painfully and she gulped air before turning back to look at his painfully familiar face. She'd forgotten him, or at least what he looked like in the years that they'd been apart but… honestly, who was he to come all of a sudden at her doorstep to give her some kind of proposal when he'd said those things to her in—

"I don't want to hear anymore that you have to say."

Silence reigned before he clenched a fist into the couch and sat patiently. He looked at her with such intensity that Mikan's resolve almost crashed. To cover up her moment of vulnerability, Mikan drew a long breath and looked at a point just past his shoulder. "What is it then?"

"You need help," his said immediately, without skipping a beat. Ignoring the way she threw an indignant look in his direction, Natsume reiterated, "Your job and this place. I can give you a proposal that you can't refuse."

Clenching her jaw, Mikan returned coolly, "My job and my place have no business with you. This is my life and my house—"

"This isn't a house," he shot the last word at her like it was trash. "Look around. The place is ratty and what? Two roomed?"

"Not everyone is a multi- I don't even know what –naire you're on now. Billionaire? Trillionaire? Not everyone has that, Hyuuga," she remarked dryly.

He scrutinized her with dark irises. "I have a job offer for you."

For a moment her interest had been sparked but she rebuked herself internally. "Not interested."

"Look M—Sakura," his voice shook just the slightest. "I know you're in trouble—financially."

"Really, because I'm not."

His tone sharpened. "I own more stocks than anyone—"

"Oh, don't go there," she snapped. "So you have money and stocks and do nothing while getting it. Fine. Just don't throw that all in my face, you bastard," she replied acidly.

"I know what you owe."

At that, she stiffened once more and flushed. "Nothing," she hissed, "—that has to do with my personal life has anything to do with you anymore. I'd like it very much if you'd stop looking through my stuff, using your status to rub your nose into my affairs and walking back into my life like you own it!"

He quieted and shrugged, unwilling to respond.

Clenching her fists, Mikan counted to ten and lowered her voice, "You haven't changed one bit," she bit out. "I guess being a patronizing ass for your whole life really _is_ a hard habit to change."

He chuckled humorlessly.

She growled in frustration and put her head into her hands, once again collapsing into a chair and desperately trying to hide the loud groan about to escape her lips. "Just say what you want and leave," she said through clenched teeth, finally meeting his gaze with a fiery glare of her own.

She could even feel the air around them shift in favor of his victory, courtesy of his Alice, before he murmured softly, "I want you."

She jumped to her feet, pointing an accusing finger in his direction, her whole body trembling as she blanched. "You sick _bastard_! How dare you!"

He almost choked, "Not that way!"

A wave of nausea attacked her and she was afraid she might vomit on him. "You're crazy."

She lifted her head up and pressed her lips into a thin line, annoyance marring her features. "I want to hire you," he reiterated.

She wanted to laugh at the irony of it all. If one considered their past, it was a wonder he could waltz into her apartment three years after the Alice War and hire her. She threw her head back and _did_ laugh.

Her laugh shook him. The unfamiliarity of her bitter laugh had never made his heart fill with such dread. "What," he started, clenching his fists, "—do you find so funny?"

"You," she cackled. "I can't believe you'd come here and have the nerve to try to—" She sobered suddenly and took a step forward. "Let me get one thing straight," she put her hands together, pacing the room. "You don't like me and I pretty much hate you. I can't possibly work _for_ you."

The thought of her hating him only strengthened his resolve. His heart told him to give up but he just… he _couldn't_.

"I want you to make a fashion line for the Hyuuga empire," he threw out quickly, watching with mild satisfaction when her jaw dropped and her eyes sparkled with her surprise.

"You actually like my designs?" she asked incredulously, peering at him through wide doe-like eyes.

He didn't answer for a while until she narrowed her eyes just the slightest. "It's organic. It's new."

She narrowed her eyes skeptically. "What are your motives?"

He narrowed his, "You make money, I make money. What other motives are there. Honestly, it's nothing personal," he draped his arms on the back of the couch and quirked an eyebrow at her. "It's a yes or no answer. Take your pick," he drawled blandly and Mikan couldn't help but think it was reminiscent of his attitude when she'd first come to the Academy.

She paused and fixed a skeptical look on her fair features.

"I'll pay for your debts. I'll pay for all the supplies that you'll need and you can do anything you want with your designs as long as it meets my deadlines. What more can you possibly want?"

They dueled out the remaining fight with their eyes. Hers were narrowed whereas his were dark and bland. She could feel her resolve burning in hell and yet, a bit of her, the intuition that never seemed to fail told her to accept. Her heart was telling her to keep the hell away.

"We'll need a contract," she mused thoughtfully, suddenly very apprehensive. After all of the years in Alice Academy, she didn't know what was going on in that strange mind of his. That strange, patronizing, evil mind…

He reached inside the jacket of his suit and pulled out a wad of paper that she took immediately for the contract. Scanning the pages delicately with her eyes, Mikan frowned. "What's with the secrecy part?"

He breathed a long sigh. "The element of surprise," he answered. "I want to take the public by storm."

With another moment of hesitation, she bit her bottom lip and closed her eyes, thinking deeply. There were so many reasons why she should refuse but the only thing that presented its case was that her boss would be _him. _The most infuriating man on Earth. And just as she was about to say no, the picture of innocent animals pushed into cages and skinned alive brought her back to Earth and she breathed hard before making her decision. "Fine."

The air fizzled with his obvious delight and Mikan rolled her eyes at the smirk on his face. He probably didn't even know the air around him changed with his mood. He handed her a pen and Mikan was careful to avoid any contact with his skin. God knew she'd fail—

"Wait, I'm not signing this!" she exclaimed, slightly appalled. "You wrote it and who knows what other things you have in here. I'll write another one up," she threw the contract on the table and went for the door.

"But you'll work for me?" he asked, the question sounding more like an awkward statement.

"I'm working for the animals that would skinned alive from other designers, not you." She bit her lip at the look of boyish annoyance on his face. "I'll work for your company, yes."

He breathed a sigh and red eyes fixed determinedly on hers. "When will you move?"

"What, why—"

He looked around the room as if it explained everything but when he looked back at her, she still hadn't gotten the gist. "I'll have an apartment for you close to headquarters. You'll move there."

"I'll do whatever I want and you can't make decisions for me!"

"You're moving," he stated firmly. He stood up, tall frame and wide shoulders suddenly struck her with familiarity. "It's final. There's no way you're working here. I'm your boss and it's easier for me to check your progress otherwise."

She lifted her chin to argue when he put up a hand, eyes weary. "Don't argue, please."

He had her name on the tip of his tongue but refrained from using it. Instead, he rubbed a hand down his cheek and finished, "Come to my office at nine tomorrow morning and we'll work on the contract. Deal?"

She sighed heavily.

She looked up one more time, running her eyes over his face, noting the startling red of his eyes and the way his raven hair shined in the dim lighting of her house. He looked the same, like the boy from their Alice Academy days but was that a good thing or a bad thing? She hardly knew how to answer that after all of the rocky _issues_ that they'd had during the years of the Alice War. He looked good, that much was easy to see but he looked tired. Maybe life wasn't treating him as well as she'd like to admit either.

Maybe, just maybe, they could work something out.

She shook her head and let her hands clench into fists by her sides. Looking him dead in the eyes, Mikan pressed her lips in a line, "Deal."

Mikan couldn't help but think she'd signed her fate with the Devil himself.

Natsume's triumphant expression disappeared when he turned toward the door, a hand on the door knob. "By the way, Polka Dots—don't be late tomorrow. God knows how many times you've been late with other things."

"Wha-"

"Good night—" he waved without turning back, "—Polka Dots."

* * *

_My Hopeless Romantic_


	2. First Hints of Jealousy

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Gakuen Alice and I most likely never will. Ever.

* * *

**The Devil's Contract**

_If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried.  
-Anonymous_

_Chapter 2. First Hints of Jealousy  
_

_-;-_

The sky was grey, Natsume mused thoughtfully, closing his eyes and inhaling the musty scent of the city air. Briefly, the image of yesterday's encounter with the brunette sweetheart flashed within his closed eyelids and Natsume could hardly contain the dark grimace that threatened to make its way onto his face. Things hadn't gone the way he'd wanted them to and needless to say, her reaction to his presence alone was daunting.

It was almost enough to make him give up on his endeavors.

The sound of tires against cement and the squeal of rusty car parts broke Natsume out of his reverie and he blinked up at the sight of his large building with an expression of smooth indifference. The strings of his heart tugged with pride, though, and for a moment, he allowed himself a moment of reprieve from his sullen past and coiled within the thoughts of his most prized accomplishment: the Hyuuga Empire.

Hyuuga Corporations was by far the most popular enterprise within Tokyo. He honestly didn't know why he'd started the Hyuuga Corp. in the first place but it had taken him a hell of a long time and persuasion to get to where he'd come. He'd been a mess of confusion after the Alice War and graduation, so from the wreckage that was his mind to be able to come up with _this_, it was a feat among itself.

Sighing softly, Natsume strolled into the building in one of the best moods he'd had for a while. He hadn't felt the urge to strangle _any_ of his secretaries that batted their eyelashes, touched or complimented him. He didn't even scowl when a female employee _accidentally_ palmed his butt.

Oh, he did fire her, but he did it with a smile, or something that resembled a smile at the very least.

He didn't think anything could ruin his light mood… until he opened the door to his office to find Mikan Sakura in front of him.

"—You're late."

Natsume stopped dead in his tracks, ignoring the moment he felt his heart stop. "What?"

Mikan growled in frustration and stood up, crossing her arms over her chest. Her face contained traces of a fiery anger that he had seen on only too many occasions and he didn't think twice at how relief instantly filled his body at her familiar nature. She lifted her chin up, the hair from her messy bun straying from its loose hold as she scowled at him. She was glaring at him so hard, in fact, that he was surprised his brain wasn't exploding into a million pieces.

It didn't happen, to say the least.

"I _said_, you're _late_, Hyuuga," Mikan grated coldly, setting her jaw. "To think you reminded me yesterday not to be late and here you are, walking in like you own the place without a thought to what others have to do with their lives!"

She watched him take his trench cloak off and languidly raise an eyebrow at her as he settled in his leather seat. "If you hadn't noticed, Polka Dots, I _do _own the place."

Mikan's ears reddened and she clenched her fists hard, watching as Natsume's face remained the cool mask of indifference.

"You," she grated crustily, "—explicitly told me to come to your office at nine o'clock _sharp_." She took two steps closer, cheeks pink with rage before she stopped abruptly before his desk and hissed, "Then you walk in almost an hour and a half _late_." She laughed bitterly, lifting her chin to look past his shoulder to the window before muttering dryly, "Well, I shouldn't be so surprised, huh? After all, you aren't the shining example of someone that keeps their _word. _Thanks for wasting an hour and a half of my _life_, Hyuuga. I'm surprised you're not jumping for joy."

The muscle in his jaw twitched before he clasped his hands atop his desk and turned bland, emotionless eyes back to hers, "Jumping for joy," he repeated dryly, shrugging, "—would wrinkle my suit. Besides, I don't need a lecture from you today, Polka Dots. I don't think that's the way you're supposed to talk to your boss. Where did your manners go after all of these years?"

She bristled with stunned indignation. "You're questioning _my_ manners?" She laughed with disbelief before griping, "At least I have the decency to show up when I say I will and keep to my promises, you—"

His anger peaked but he managed to rein in the nasty words and sarcastic comments before he said something he didn't mean. He honestly didn't know why he tried so hard to please her. Natsume didn't even think all of this work was worth it sometimes. Perhaps he'd been wrong to come after her so soon. After a three year leave, perhaps making her his employee was too rash of a decision…

"At least _I _have the decency to come through when others need me instead of—"

Something within him shook with anger and before he could stop himself, Natsume scoffed, "Just tell me what you want and leave. I don't need morality lectures from you, _mother_."

He watched with resignation as her eyes flashed with anger and she forced out from clenched teeth, "I would rather kill myself than be your mother."

Coolly, without showing how much it hurt, Natsume returned smoothly, "Huh… I'm surprised you'd use that against me when you were there when I found out she'd died. Perhaps I'm not the only one that's changed." His eyes hardened, feigning not to see the pity in her irises and how the sharp corners of her eyes softened in apology.

Startled and filled with guilt, Mikan blinked before regaining some composure. Settling her anger and fidgeting in her jacket, Mikan's lips thinned before she flipped the clasps of her brief case open and fished out a tight wad of paper. "The contract," she stated crustily, slapping down the pages. "We're supposed to go through it together."

Natsume tried to pretend his heart didn't skip a beat when she said that and instead, remarked with a smirk, "Efficient."

He smoothed out the contract and read silently, his eyes darting over the stack of papers far faster than hers would. Then again, she remembered, Natsume had been a Special star since their elementary days. She'd only become one in her late middle school years…

Mikan took the time to take him in. Yesterday's encounter hadn't given her much time to prepare herself for his return in her life and with a night's rest (or at least, she _tried _to rest), Mikan had woken half an hour later than she would've liked and had managed to throw on a pair of black slacks and a white button-up silk shirt before she realized he'd be more than an hour late… Jerk.

Nevertheless, she took in his messy black hair, the dark circles under his eyes, the firm set of his lips and the high cheekbones that he'd had since their Alice Academy days. His cheeks had lost the last of its baby fat and what was left was a devastatingly handsome man with chiseled features and a strong jaw. _And those lips…_ she shook her head sharply and went further down, fighting the dark blush from her cheeks. She'd just noticed the red of his silk tie (that had always been his favorite color, she mused) when she heard him snort with spite.

"'No animals or animal testing'," he read aloud, looking up to raise a brow.

"It's wrong," Mikan replied without a hint of shame. "I don't eat animals and I'm against the cruelty that comes to them from other designers." She watched as the other eyebrow went up to accompany the previous one and jeered, "Do you know how much _pain_ they go through?" She leaned forward unconsciously and answered heatedly, "They're skinned _alive_, Hyuuga. And everyone buys their stuff! These animals are dying because we like wearing their _skin_. Doesn't that disgust you at all?"

His silence displayed nothing and Mikan leaned back, pleased to think that she'd made him speechless. That was before he managed to murmur arrogantly, "You can't save the world, Polka…"

"But I'm doing my part, aren't I?" she returned sharply. "At least I'm trying to find a way to give people an alternative! If I'm able to make clothes that are just as fashionable and just as beautiful as the ones out there now, then who'd be cruel enough to buy that when there's this safer and _humane_ option left?"

Wordlessly, Natsume shrugged before looking at the contract with a critical eye. He looked up for a moment, raising a brow before taking out a black pen and promptly swiping it across an entire paragraph. "What are you—" she started to protest.

"Demolishing farms, what does it look like I'm doing?" he cut her off swiftly, his writing hand flying across the page. She made another noise of protest before he growled, "I'm making changes to fit my standards and for crying out loud—" he looked up at her, annoyance marring his facial features before he shook his head, muttering something that sounded like _"trying to rile me up"_ before continuing to write on the contract.

"Done," he murmured, swiveling the contract to push it to her. "Now sign."

She forgot how neat his writing was. It was clean and elegant. Flowing cursive continued across the page and she narrowed her eyes at one of his changed demands, her mouth dropping with disbelief.

"All final decisions are made by CEO, Natsume Hyuuga. Demands will be followed with no refusal and—" She slapped down the wad of paper on his desk and bellowed, "—how is this fair?"

"Life isn't fair."

It was meant to be a murmur but she heard it and the line confused her. Biting her lip, Mikan didn't make a move to obey and Natsume's lips thinned with annoyance. "We're not getting along and we have our own problems. We've had our rocky … finish with other things and I think it's best if we put that all aside and start fresh."

She glared at his innocent, cool expression. To say that they'd had a rocky relationship was right but… she shook her head, immediately going to what he was offering her.

Natsume was wiping her debt away like a silk handkerchief against a dusty shelf. He was moving her into a new apartment _rent-_free, paying her more than she'd ever been paid and was buying everything she'd need to create her masterpieces of fabric. If she was being perfectly honest, he was giving her a new _life, _one that she could have only dreamed of.

What was she waiting for?

Mikan sighed, looking up at him with a neutral expression on her face. She took the pen from his hand and grimaced when their skin brushed. Her heart hammered and resignedly she scribbled her name tidily in the line provided.

She couldn't help it. It felt like she was sealing away her fate for good.

Mikan knew she should feel relieved to be offered such an amazing job but just looking at the expression on Natsume's face made her doubt her decision almost immediately.

He was smirking as he signed his own name on the dotted line of the contract with a flourish and he paper clipped it tidily into a folder before slipping it into his desk. Looking up, red eyes flashing with triumph, he eyed her and said breezily, "Welcome."

_-;-_

"This is yours."

Mikan stepped uncertainly into the room before gasping.

Looking around, Mikan couldn't help but wonder how much Natsume owned to have so much money to pamper his employees this way. Last she'd heard, he was rich and famous, yes – but not _this _rich.

She grimaced softly, looking at the ground. Things had definitely moved on without her where he was concerned…

Miyu, the tall blond girl that Natsume had called in, swaggered her hips into the room like she owned the place and gestured nonchalantly to the phone with a freshly manicured hand.

"This phone is connected to Hyuuga Corp. If you need something, just press four to talk to Nobara," she instructed, throwing her waterfall of blonde hair over her shoulder so that it rippled in waves. "My room is just under Natsume-sama's in room 624 if you need me."

Mikan crinkled her nose in thought. "Hyuuga lives here? He has this huge home in Hokkaido, I thought…"

"He's getting the thing renovated or something, haven't you heard?" Miyu questioned airily, examining her nails. "Well, it doesn't matter. Is there anything else you need?"

Mikan looked around the room once again and huffed softly, regarding the bare place that needed desperately to be touched by her decorations. "Yes, actually. Hyuuga knows all about it," Mikan said, mimicking her casual tone. She watched as the secretary flinched and continued, "I'll need to get a car to pick up my things at my old place." Mikan looked over her shoulder at murderous blue eyes and added, "Hyuuga knows where it is. I suppose you could ask him for directions."

She scowled darkly and lifted her chin up. "Oh? When do you need it?"

"Four, if that's okay. I was also wondering about my studio—"

"Hallway, door to the left," Miyu interrupted, rolling her eyes. "I'm in a hurry, so I'm outtie."

She turned with a wave of blonde hair and was out the door in a flash. With a heavy breath, Mikan's lips thinned and she had the urge to call elementary school names at the girl's back but held it in by biting her tongue.

Looking away from the door, Mikan's bad mood vanished. The room really was beautiful. The furniture was all neat beiges, warm creams and stylish blacks and whites. There were comfy leather armchairs and a huge flat screen TV. To be honest, it put her last apartment to shame. To be expected of him to show off his wealth, Mikan mused.

There was a gigantic kitchen that Anna would adore and plenty of _space. _Something she hadn't had in her old flat. Vaguely, Mikan remembered her studio and went down the corridor Miyu had pointed at.

She stepped closer and opened the closest door on the right revealing a simple study furnished with a desk, lighting that could be changed from bright to dim with a flick of the wrist or the simple gesture of clapping your hands, side tables, a computer and other electronic devices. Looking closer, everything was made from the Hyuuga Corporation.

Other doors opened to reveal a _very _shiny bathroom but all she was interested in was her workspace.

Without much preparation, Mikan slid the translucent glass door open and almost broke down.

There were three expensive work benches, tall beautifully structured mannequins lining the sides, a giant chalkboard to sketch designs was nestled onto an easel, and a giant mirror. Rows upon rows of metallic limbs shot out of the wall on the right to, what she supposed, hang fabrics on.

She could see it all now…

_-;-_

"You hired Mikan?" Ruka asked incredulously, turning the full look of confusion on in his eyes. "Or is Nobara just telling me crazy things again?"

Natsume looked up and shrugged his shoulders, leaning over to continue his paperwork.

Ruka gaped and he sputtered, pacing the room in frenzy. "Do you know what this _means_?" He sputtered again, leaned over Natsume's desk, then thought better of it and took to pacing the room once more. "You're talking about a different Mikan Sakura then and not the Alice Academy genius that we crushed on when we were little and the one that – if my memory recalls – hates you now after what you told her during the Alice War."

Natsume glared at him, putting down his pen none too gently before leaning back and staring at his best friend. "Ruka, calm down," he stated coolly, tugging at his tie.

Ruka's eyes bulged, "How can you say that? This is perfect!" He had a frantic look of excitement in his eyes before he grinned, "Just… warm up to her and she'll look past what you—"

"Stop," Natsume replied stiffly, turning dark eyes on Ruka. "Don't bring it up. It was necessary."

Ruka held his hands up in peace but returned, "I don't know Natsume but if you want things to work, you know what you have to do," Ruka reasoned, settling himself in the leather chair across from Natsume.

"Ruka," Natsume gritted out darkly, "This isn't personal, it's just business."

Ruka held up a hand and cut in, "Okay, okay, fine." He stood up, blue eyes mischievous before shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly. "If you don't want to tell me what's going on in that brain of yours, then I get it. Just don't botch it up like the last time, ok?"

Natsume sent him a steely glare and Ruka chuckled before asking, "What position did she get anyway?"

Resignedly, Natsume leaned back in his chair and ran a hand through his messy black locks. "I can't tell you." When Ruka's expression turned confused, Natsume reiterated, "There's a secrecy clause involved." His dark eyes looked up to scrutinize his best friend before he sighed, "Ruka, I have work to do and I'm done listening."

"Awesome," Ruka replied with a smile, leaning against his desk, "—I just thought of this great idea where mayb—"

"Ruka…" Natsume sighed, rubbing his temples with his index and middle fingers, "I'm busy."

"Right now?" Ruka asked surprised. He looked around and furrowed his brow, "But there's nobody—"

Ruka shook his head and bit his lip. "Okay, I'll just run this by you later then. You know… you can always tell me something if you need to get something off of your chest, right?" Ruka's blue eyes glittered with concern and taking his silence as a dismissal, Ruka turned around and muttered, "All you have to do is ask."

Natsume opened his mouth to reply when the door opened and Miyu, Natsume's secretary, walked in, pausing dramatically, "I'm sorry, Nogi-sama. I had no idea you were within a deep discussion. Should I come back som—"

Ruka waved her off. "No, that's okay. I'm having dinner with Hotaru, anyway. That woman is looking better every time I see her."

"She's pregnant with your baby…" Natsume couldn't keep the jealousy from his throat. "See you around."

By this time, clouds had rolled in and had darkened the sky. Dribbles of rain fell to the Earth, dampening articles of clothing, food stands, and moods. The sun had been blocked by the clouds and everything was as dark as a tunnel.

And when the clock struck four and the rain started to pour, Mikan waited for the car that was to pick her up…

* * *

_My Hopeless Romantic_


	3. Second Thoughts

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Gakuen Alice.

* * *

**The Devil's Contract**

_If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried.  
-Anonymous_

_Chapter 3. Second Thoughts  
_

_-;-_

"_Natsume Hyuuga,"_ an eerily calm voice hissed.

Natsume's writing arm stiffened and he sighed. "Polka Dots—" Natsume paused, stunned, when his eyes met Mikan's. "Why are you so wet?"

"I was waiting in the pouring rain," Mikan snapped, glaring at him under wet bangs, wringing her shirt with her pruned hands.

Natsume quirked a brow and his lips thinned in expectance. "And… _why _were you standing in the rain?"

"Like you don't know," Mikan huffed, grinding her teeth. "I was waiting outside for the car that I asked your secretary, Miyu, to get so that I wouldn't have to walk all the way back with my stuff but _apparently_," Mikan put in quotations, "—she was too busy fluttering her hands all over you to remember!"

Natsume furrowed his brow and shook his head. "Fluttering? She's my secretary," he returned coolly. "Apparently she didn't think to tell me what you requested or I would've made sure the car was there." He pursed his lips. "Perhaps it slipped her mind."

"Her mind, my butt," Mikan sneered, putting her hands on her hips. "Your secretary is so stupid a peanut has more brains than her."

He shrugged and proceeded to gather all of his documents together, sliding them all into his drawers. She shook with anger, fighting the urge to lunge across the desk and wring his neck instead of her shirt. Huffing once more, Mikan collapsed into the chair across from him.

"Why'd you hire her anyway, Hyuuga? I wouldn't have thought you'd go for the type of girl to throw herself at you but I guess time changes even the most hard-headed of us all," Mikan stated crustily.

Trying to ignore her jibes in vain, Natsume quirked a brow and muttered, "Jealous?" Momentarily pleased when her eyes flashed with anger, he returned, "If you thought she was so stupid, why'd you trust her to remember when you could've called me?"

"Because I trust her more than I could ever trust you!" Mikan snapped furiously, balling her hands into fists. "Besides that, your other secretary and my _fr__iend, _Nobara is already swamped with work because you're too blind to see that Miyu doesn't do a damn thing!"

"If you're so concerned about Ibaragi, then you'll speak to me about it," Natsume griped impatiently.

"I can't even have a civilized conversation with you without feeling blindingly angry," Mikan hissed after a moment of surprise. "Do you think I'd willingly submit myself to your bastardly presence by choice?"

"Pretty words," Natsume drawled, "—but it's not my fault we can't carry a civilized conversation. I try – you just explode every time you see me."

"It _is _your fault."

"Mature, Polka Dots. Really," Natsume returned stiffly, arranging his tie a bit. "And if I'm not mistaken, you willingly came to my office. I didn't ask you to."

Mikan glowered at him hard, her body practically crackling with angry electricity. A dark blush marred her cheeks and brown eyes were ablaze when she leered in a low voice, "The only reason _I'm _here is to tell you what a big mistake you've made." She brushed wet hair away from her face with an angry swipe before continuing, "And you _know _it."

"Hyuugas don't make mistakes."

"Right," Mikan replied airily, folding her legs to keep a semblance of her elegance, "Really mature, Hyuuga. That statement might've worked in school but in reality, that's a poor point. Honestly, I wonder how the hell I managed to stand you at all in school."

Natsume was in front of her in seconds.

He was never this ruffled with anybody else but with her, _only with her, _was he able to feel the temperature rise in his body. Just the smallest nudge at his character from her always made him just _tick._

"I don't need a lecture from you," he hissed in a dark, velvety cold voice. "If you haven't noticed, I'm your _boss _and the owner of one of the most prosperous companies in Asia. Your life is hanging on the balance."

The tension was as thick as blood as they stood, glaring at each other like the sheer force of their eyes would suck the souls of the other.

"If you honestly think," she growled darkly, "—that threat will scare me, you don't know me at all."

Natsume's eyes darkened and he balled his hands into tight fists before glaring, "Maybe we never knew each other at all."

Mikan didn't notice that she was heaving large breaths of air until her pants reached her ears. She was practically bristling. Her skin was on fire and she wouldn't have been at all surprised if she dried herself by being mad at him. Oh Kami - why, _why_ had she signed her name on that contract?

She'd rather seal her fate to the devil than have her life in Natsume's hands…

Mikan bristled again and Natsume was the first to break eye contact. He stepped back from her soaking frame and looked away, a calm almost serene expression on his face. "Are you done? If you're done," he continued monotonously, "—you can get out of my office."

"I'm not done talking to you, Hyuuga," Mikan stomped up to his desk, planting her feet firmly before him.

He shot her a mildly amused look before muttering, "Get out."

Ignoring him, Mikan riffled through her bags, unzipped a large tote bag and extracted a long roll of fabric coupled with intricate designs and soft hues of blue. With a fond smile, she cradled it protectively before schooling her features and walking over to his desk.

"This was made in India in one of the poorest regions in the country woven by single mothers who work more hours than we work in three days in one. Every single day, they work like this to feed their children and …"

"Sakura…" Natsume sighed impatiently, his patience running thin. "I don't have time to deal with this right now."

Indignant that he'd cut her off, Mikan blustered, "Oh boo hoo, Hyuuga. While you work in this posh office and have to sign your signature on a few contracts to gain another few millions, mothers in India starve themselves and work so that they can feed their children the bare minimum!"

Natsume looked up at her with a bored expression and watched blandly as she put a hand on her hip with annoyance. "You're not listening, are you?" she accused. "This," she ran her hands over the fabric, "—is the life energy of all of those women!"

He blinked slowly and Mikan let out a sound between a frustrated shriek and a strangled groan.

Breathing evenly, counting to ten in her head, Mikan looked at him under dark eyelashes and wondered aloud, "How can you be such a cold-hearted bastard, Hyuuga?" Her eyes flashed when she continued, "Hours are put in to making this fabric and you're not _seeing _it!"

Solemnly, Natsume lifted his eyes and pierced her with dark crimson. In a low voice, he muttered, "You can't expect to force everybody to see what you do. Not everyone understands and not everyone is like you." In almost a whisper, the words were so low she could barely hear, he finished, "Not everyone can be."

_**whack!**_

Natsume's eyes opened in alarm and he barely put his hand up in time to stop the roll of fabric from hitting him in the face once again. "What are you—" _**whack!**_

"Polka Dots, _stop_!"

She yelped, almost _shrieked_ when he took hold of the other end of the roll of fabric and yanked it. _Hard._ She'd forgotten how strong he'd been after being away from him for so long. Mikan found herself breathing hard as she tugged on her end of the roll.

"Let _go_, Hyuuga!"

"Do you honestly think I'm that stupid?" Natsume hissed darkly. "Let go of the damn roll, Polka Dots!"

With a grunt, Natsume yanked the fabric roll from her clutches, taking down more than have of the paperwork and an expensive looking paperweight. There was a loud crash as it hit the floor and a shrill shriek as they both fell on the floor.

* * *

"What is he _doing_?" Ruka mumbled, turning to Nobara.

Nobara looked up, exhausted, "I don't know."

Ruka cocked his head to the side, briefly telling himself to tell Natsume to give Nobara a weekend off before saying, "I'll just go right on in, then."

Nobara shrugged and with a smile, Ruka walked in…to a war zone.

"Who do you think _you_ are to talk to me like that?"

"You haven't changed _one bit_! You're still the selfish, spoiled brat that—!"

"Then stop playing the angel, Sakura!" said a flushed Natsume, "—you're still the self-righteous girl that—!"

Ruka bit his bottom lip and shook his head. He should've known this would happen or who was he kidding? He'd known all along that if he'd put the two together in one room, there'd be chaos. But this was progress, Ruka mused. They hadn't been talking for _three _years. If there was _this _much passion between them so early in the game… well it was really only a matter of time. Ruka smiled and contented himself by locking the door and kicking back to enjoy the game.

Meanwhile, Mikan crossed her arms defensively. She lowered her voice in a slightly hurt tone and finished, "That wasn't fair."

Natsume snorted and snapped, "Life isn't fair." He ran a hand through his hair before his eyes trained on Ruka's figure by the door. Natsume straightened up immediately. "Ruka."

"That was interesting. Reminded me of the good old days, " Ruka hummed thoughtfully, ignoring the dark glare Natsume sent his way. He straightened up, promptly plastering a wide smile on his face. He pushed off from the wall that he'd been leaning on and started the slow walk towards the bickering couple, trying in vain to lighten up the mood.

"Hey, Mikan!" he smiled charmingly, ignoring the murderous look on his best friend's face, he turned back to Mikan and continued, "So I heard you're on the team! Welcome! What's your position, by the way? Natsume's not telling me anything."

"Ruka," Natsume murmured darkly, stepping closer and cutting him off. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Ruka shrugged, swallowing. "I came to talk about some of the ideas that my team came up with when I heard some strange noises from your office and decided to check it out," he replied lightly. "Trouble in paradise?"

Natsume sighed tiredly and nodded in Mikan's direction. "This is the result of her mess." He started picking up the stray pieces of paper on the floor. "She's still as loud and annoying as ever."

Ruka watched as Mikan's eyes alighted with fury as she retorted, "What was that?"

Probably thinking he could get away with it and probably having the patience of a bomb, he continued darkly, "I'm sorry, did I hurt your feelings? I must not be thinking straight because I've been getting hit in the head a lot lately. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"

Ruka winced and stepped in when Mikan lunged at him. Her small figure would've made it if he hadn't wound his arms around her waist, holding her close to his chest.

"Calm down," Ruka urged, patting her back. "He's just trying to get a rise out of you like the good old days. Come to dinner soon?"

"Ruka, shut up," Natsume muttered, glaring hard at his best friend and glancing down at Ruka's hands murderously.

Ruka just laughed good-naturedly, "You seriously need to calm down, Natsume."

He sent Mikan a dark look of irritation before snapping, "Get out."

When Ruka turned back to Mikan, she had hoisted one bag onto each shoulder. With a dark glare, she huffed and stormed out of the office, slamming the door hard enough to knock down a couple of books from their spots in his bookcase.

Ruka smiled, "Woman troubles?"

Natsume frowned but didn't honor the question with a reply.

"What was that about?" Ruka asked, dragging a chair that was pushed across the room, back to the front of the desk and sitting down, draping an arm across the back.

"Ruka," Natsume sighed resignedly, running a hand through his hair. "Just drop the subject, ok?"

Ruka smirked wickedly and folded his arms in his lap, "I will if you tell me what position she has in the company."

"I'm not giving you leave for an ultimatum, Ruka," Natsume drawled heavily, "There's no room for argument. Get out."

Ruka persisted with a grin, stretching his arms over his head and standing up, "Alright, alright. You'll tell me eventually."

After Ruka had fled, Natsume sat down with his head held up by one hand, staring lazily out of the window and down at the streets, where he caught a bob of already soaked brown hair, scurrying across the streets towards Hyuuga's Luxury Suites. His other hand curled and uncurled revealing a lazy, red ball of fire disappearing and reappearing methodically.

_Was hiring Mikan really such a good idea after all?_

He shook his head,_ because it sure as hell didn't feel like it._

* * *

_My Hopeless Romantic_


	4. Third Time's the Charm

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Gakuen Alice.

* * *

**The Devil's Contract**

_If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried.  
-Anonymous_

_Chapter 4. Third Time's the Charm_

_-;-_

There was something terribly misleading when things were going a little too well.

For the past week, Mikan had been doing a rather great job at going through piece after piece and after much deliberation, she realized that it would be silly not to use her Alices. After all, she remembered one of the teachers at the Academy say that there were plenty of neuroscientists and inventors who had changed the _world _because they used their Alices for good.

Well, Mikan didn't think her case was much different. Her clothes were new and improved, something fresh and well, actually _humane _and there was just something worthy of admiration about the idea that spurred Mikan to use her Alices. Not that she wouldn't be doing the big parts. Oh no, she'd still be sewing most of everything by hand. It would just be the tiny roles where the fabric needed to be cut and the pieces measured did she find a tad too benign.

She had bigger fish to fry.

Like the fact that the stupid Hyuuga had decided to spring the deadline onto her three days in.

He'd called her down to his office in that strangely familiar voice of his, a little bit tender and little stern, not unlike how he'd used to call her when they were together. It had confused her to no end, but Mikan refused to be conned and played. She was older and more wise. It wouldn't do to fall for the same tricks twice.

So after making him wait a good ten minutes (which resulted in his paging her another two times to tell her, _I know you're there and you plan to make me suffer. Since I see through your not-so-secret plans, I'd like you to get your ass down here before I _burn_ it_), Mikan flounced her way to the elevator and across the street with a subtle, smug grin on her face.

He hadn't been so pleased. She could see _that _under his faux look of neutrality. He'd proceeded to fiddle around with things on his desk and without looking up and into her eyes, he stated blandly, _"I expect you to finish the line in four weeks time. I was going to make it three, but I want another section to be made. Ten swimsuits and five sets of lingerie."_

She remembered the rush of white, hot heat and the flash of red across her eyes before she all but threw her shoe into his face and screamed, "WHAT?! ARE YOU NUTS?! We went _over _this the other day and we decided only a collection of forty-five. You said I could do whatever _I _want and what the hell? Another _fifteen_ pieces to make it a collection of _sixty _in a month?! Do you _want _this line to look like something scraped out of your ass? Because I can assure you that's what it's damn going to look like if you're crazy enough to want a sixty-piece collection done in a month. Two months, sure. Forty-five pieces in a month, crazy as it is, but possible. _Sixty _in a flippin' _month _is NOT going to happen!"

It was then that he lifted his head, the edge of a smirk on his lips and his eyes dark, before he shrugged, "_That's not my problem, is it? And I said nothing about you doing whatever the hell you wanted. I said you could make whatever designs you wished as long as my requirements were met and well, I require you to make a set of evening wear, day wear, swimsuits and lingerie."_ His eyes seemed to clear before he smirked, full on. _"And if I want this done in a month, you'll be done in a month."_

"It'll be the ugliest things to ever hit the runway," Mikan snarled, mentally remembering that one line from one of the noted designers in Russia last year and refusing to make something worse.

Natsume resumed whatever work he'd been doing before she had come in, not bothering to look at her any further. _"Sakura, I know you well enough to know you'd refuse to do anything half-ass. Now get out. This discussion is over."_

And after demanding her shoe back, which he'd placed on one of the armrests of his chair, Mikan had called him several dirty names before storming out of the room.

There was just something extremely irritating about the look on his face.

Every smug look of victory, every curve of a smirk on his lips, every chiseled line of absolute neutrality on his face made something in her belly roil with anger and indignation. Perhaps it had something to do with it all being so familiar. Funny thing was, Mikan remembered all of those details made her laugh and her affection grow for him, once upon a time.

Now, every time she saw him doing something he would three years ago made her want to give him the old one-two in the gut and maybe sock him in the kisser too. What was _up _with that secretary of his? Seriously, Natsume had been so gung-ho about not giving into the feminine wiles of the opposite sex ever since he'd been forced into Alice Academy and now that he was out, he was looking them up and down, left and right without a hint of conservation.

And obviously those little tarts didn't mind. Who the hell wouldn't? He still had his bad boy charm and those flippin' Adonis-esque features that had secured him the title of most "Hottest" boy in school. It was just so… unnerving to find he'd moved on so quickly and so obviously, despite how good they'd been together before.

She was startled out of her reverie when her cell phone rang, the obnoxious ringtone, _Barbie Girl_, echoing around her spacious workroom. She mentally cursed Anna's choice for her jingle before picking up, "You _really _have to change this awful song. Every time you call, I want to throw my phone against the wall to shut it up."

Anna snickered and murmured quietly to someone beside her, _"She totally freaked out again."_

Koko's echoing guffaw made Mikan roll her eyes. "Anyway, what can I do you for, mi amigo?"

"_Mikan, do you _not _check your calendar?" _

Mikan scoffed. She'd been checking out the calendar for the past four days, watching as each day brought her closer to that _evil _month-mark which would mark the deadline for her collection. And she believed that, of course. It was _hers, _no matter what that freak-show with the red eyes said.

Not waiting for a response, Anna continued, _"It's Saturday! You promised to come down this week for dinner, remember? Everyone's here. Almost the whole gang and Mikan, get this: Hotaru actually looks like a _whale _now. A WHALE, she's huge! And she threw a mini-tantrum like… five minutes ago but it wasn't really a tantrum because she just said, in her eerily calm voice that makes it seem like she wants to eat you (and really, you can kind of believe it with her stomach that huge) and said, "You will call Mikan down here. _Now. _So here we are! Wouldn't want to get eaten, right?"_

Mikan laughed raucously until tears came to her eyes. "Seriously? I… um…"

"_You promised!"_

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Mikan rolled her eyes, already picking herself up from the bench and turning off her sewing machine. "I wouldn't _dream _of missing your dinner and oh God… Hotaru. I wonder how Ruka's holding up."

Mikan could picture Anna waving her hand in dismissal. _"Oh, the usual. That boy is still hopelessly in love with her and well, can you blame him? With what shit they've gone through, it's no wonder the kid can't let her go. He _does _look kind of tired, but that's to be expected when your fiancé is Imai and she's preggo and a slave driver by heart. He's sitting on the couch with that bastard Natsume right now."_

Anna, unlike Hotaru and Ruka and Koko, still kept the unwavering grudge against Natsume as she did. Mikan couldn't help but admire Anna for sticking to her, through thick or thin. Not that Hotaru didn't… but then again, it always seemed like Hotaru knew something she wasn't telling her. It put Mikan off to find her best friend, since they were nine and ten, keeping secrets.

And then Anna's last sentence shook her. "Hold _up_. Hyuuga's there? Who the heck invited _him_?"

Anna's tone was wry. _"Koko did, of course. By the way, he has this huge, mocking kind of grin on his face, so feel free to throw him in the air and sucker punch him in the grapes, Mikan." _Before Mikan could even _think _to refuse to come, Anna jumped in, _"But you already promised you would come and though I hate to bring this up, I'm doing it for your own good—or hell, _my _own good. I haven't seen you for _weeks_, Mikan. Weeks! You've always been one to keep promises, Mikan. Don't turn your back on them now. Not now."_

Mikan sighed and straightened up, immediately heading to her closet. "I kinda hate you for that, you know."

"_I know you'll love me more when this is all over_."

"I'll be there in twenty minutes."

_-;-_

Usually, Mikan tried to dress up a little bit for Anna's get-togethers.

She hadn't been the most popular girl in their grade or in the school, but Anna had a great way in bringing everyone together and everybody loved a taste of Anna's concoctions. Things that had the strangest color schemes and the most bizarre reactions (_lots _of Anna's food had the tendency to bubble) tasted like heaven and back. Her food brought people together, no matter their status, their views and their preferences.

Which explained why Mikan was even going in the first place.

But today of all days, Mikan refused to don her evening black skirt and white-shirt and blazer combo. She wouldn't give her boss the benefit in seeing her outside of her ratty clothes and knowing him, he'd probably think she'd dressed up for _him_. It definitely wouldn't be the first time.

So she came in dark, slightly ripped jeans and a T-shirt with a pair of sneakers on her feet. She didn't bother showering and instead, threw her hair into a ponytail and letting it curve over her shoulder and down her front.

That's how Hotaru saw her when she opened the door, holding her stomach like she was afraid it'd sag if she let go. Her velvet eyes brightened a little, but the only thing that escaped the neutral line of her mouth was, "You look like you just crawled out of a cave."

Mikan smiled and threw her arms around Hotaru's neck, feeling her huge stomach poke into her abdomen with a bright grin on her face. She was warm. Pulling back and giving her an obvious once over, Mikan ignored Hotaru's stern, "Don't," and riposted, "Well, you look like you just _ate _a cave."

"Ha. Ha," Hotaru turned, ushering her into Anna's cozy home, "—you should consider yourself lucky. With this thing taking so much room, I had nowhere to put my Baka Gun."

Mikan snorted.

"It _is _in Ruka's baby bag, though."

And then the next ten minutes were a flurry of greetings and hugs and kisses on the cheek. Everyone was there. Sumire was back from her four month modeling gig in Paris, Koko had just finished up another legal case and was off for the next three days, Nonoko had requested the night off from her lab at NASA's research lab, Hotaru had taken her maternity leave from her Electronics empire, leaving it all in the hands of her right-hand man, and the list just went on and on.

It was like the whole original class 2B was here and thriving.

It was true.

Alices were meant to do great things.

_-;-_

Natsume was busy watching his employee glow with happiness at being surrounded by her friends and family. He hadn't been too keen on accepting Koko's invitation for dinner, but after Ruka had all but thrown his lack of a social life outside of work into his face, and after Imai had all but threatened to lie and tell Ruka she was carrying another man's baby (_his_, the woman _knew _Ruka would go ape-shit on his ass), Natsume had acquiesced and allowed himself to be dragged to the reunion.

It wasn't until he'd overheard the Umenomiya on the phone with her, did he think the night might actually work in his favor. It was when she walked in after the preggo did he _know _he'd have to make some sort of leeway with his relationship with Mikan. They were working together, after all. It wouldn't do to work when all focus was concentrated on who would be able to get in the last word and to a degree, the last laugh.

So when Imai stood up to scrounge around Anna's fridge for a "crab-soaked in thick chocolate sauce" concoction, Natsume threw back his shot of vodka and sat nimbly next to her on the porch swing.

Mikan plunked down her raw meat (called sashimi, he remembered), turned to him and replied scathingly, "What do you want, Hyuuga? I'd prefer all business interactions be made in the office, not outside when I'm _allowed _to relax."

Inwardly, he snorted. It was too funny, listening to all of the 'big' words she never would've said way back when.

"This has nothing to do with work, Sakura. Am I not allowed to talk to you outside of subjects about my fashion line?"

"My," she said smugly.

"That's what I said. My fashion line."

She narrowed her eyes, "The fashion line will always be mine, not yours."

"That's not what the contract says," Natsume snipped, taking the drink she had propped between her legs and taking a sip of her… soda. "You're drinking soda? What are you, five?"

"I'm being responsible," she lifted her chin up, dipping her food into a strange, green sauce. She tilted her head over the porch to the backyard where Mochu and Yuu were tousling on the ground with each other. Then Mochu was levitating him and Kitsuneme joined in with manic laughter echoing in the air. "I refuse to end up like those three."

Natsume rolled his eyes and snapped, "It's called taking a chance, Polka Dots. If you keep trying to play it safe, you're never going to be happy."

"Who says I'm not happy," she hissed darkly, sticking the sushi into her mouth. "And FYI," she seethed with her mouth full, "—it's taking chances that's made me the way I am now."

"Into a bitter prude?"

"Do you _want _me to kill you?"

Instead of answering, Natsume nodded to her plate. "Is that any good?"

With just a hint of irritation, Mikan bit out, "Of course it's good. It's sushi. In itself, it's amazing. When _Anna _makes it, it's damn near heavenly. Don't tell me you've never had sushi before, Hyuuga. You're Japanese for Kami's sake."

He replied, all the while eyeing the wrap as if it was a crippled creature. "I refused to eat sushi that my father didn't make and after being moved into the Academy, I never touched the stuff. Do you like it?"

He heard her exhale softly. "It's pretty damn good." After a pause, she offered, "Do you wanna try some?"

Natsume's head snapped up, watching warily as her expression changed from annoyed and suspicious to just plain amusement, as if she knew something he didn't. But she was offering him this… _stuff _and it was one step closer to bettering whatever they had. If he showed her a little trust, maybe that would sway her a bit?

She lathered the sushi into the green sauce before lifting the sushi up to his lips and smiling, "Open up!"

He knew the moment he chewed twice that the smile on her face had been hiding the wicked smirk that was fast becoming apparent and the bright amusement in her eyes were due to joke she had wanted to pull on him.

Natsume choked and sputtered, ignoring the looks from everyone on the patio.

"_Did you just try to kill him?"_ Umenomiya's voice sing songed.

Mikan let loose a tinkling laugh and despite his eyes watering like hell was being drenched, Natsume was reminded of a better time and a better place. "You're going to _pay _for that, Polka Dots," he said in between coughs. "Mark my words."

"Ohh," Mikan mock-shuddered, standing up and putting one hand on her hip. "Really, Hyuuga. It's really hard to take you seriously when your nose is so pink like that." She leaned down until her lips were at his ear and he could smell the faint smell of lavender and strawberries and something so distinctly Mikan, and said, "That's what you get for being so goddamn _cocky_, bastard."

And then she was off, heading over to Hotaru's side and proceeding to chat up a storm like nothing had even happened.

And for some reason, Natsume found himself being slightly turned on by the spectacle.

* * *

_My Hopeless Romantic_


	5. Fourth Attempt at Civility

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Gakuen Alice.

* * *

**The Devil's Contract**

_If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried.  
-Anonymous_

_Chapter 5. Fourth Attempt at Civility_

_-;-_

The look on his face had been _totally _worth the three days of hell he put her through afterwards. Mikan remembered a quote she'd heard in school that went something like: _when the going gets tough, the tough gets going_.

That was all good, but she thought something along the lines of, _when the going gets tough, the tough remember the look on Natsume Hyuuga's face_, worked better for her. It really _had _been priceless.

It did make her wonder, though, if her course of action was appropriate. He had tried to be civil, or at least, in his completely awkward way, and she'd been far too suspicious, far too angry and far too careful about being hurt again that she did the only thing she thought was right at the time.

Hurt him. It was the only way she could feel a little bit better about herself after what he'd done to her all of those years ago. Then again, her method was petty and doubtfully as mentally scarring as his, but it was something. Mikan would take that feeling of satisfaction with her to the grave.

But that night was three nights ago and Mikan still had lots of work to do. She'd been officially working for the Hyuuga for just over a week now, and still, she was nowhere _near _being finished. She was expected to make a sixty-piece collection in a month and currently, she had only completed twelve pieces. Seven of these were swimwear (because as much as she felt degraded for making them because he told her to, they were small and easy, if not a bit tricky while using the flimsy, swimwear fabric that had been ordered for her), three were lingerie and the other two pieces were day wear.

She was halfway through finishing two evening dresses and three pairs of sleek black or gray work pants. Presently, however, Mikan's brain was fried, her fingers were sore and her back was creaking like one of those annoying, ungreased doors.

Working for him when Hyuuga was his usual, annoying and cocky self was one thing. Working for him when he was holding a grudge and acting like a petulant child for the little joke she played on him was something different and more painful altogether. That bastard was a slave driver. Of that, she was certain.

If there was one thing that she could be thankful for, however, was that after the fiasco at Anna's place, Mikan had been able to come up with more than enough sketches to finish off the collection. Most of the inspiration, or if she was being totally honest, _all _of it, had to do with Natsume and sushi. At the moment, her whole collection looked to be daring and sexy, with color schemes of forest greens, bold reds and a slew of blacks, grays and midnight blues.

Maybe Hyuuga was good for _something_ after all.

She was just thinking about how completely pig-headed and cocky he was for the other ninety-nine percent of the time when Sumire knocked on her door holding up a bag of Chinese take-out.

"With all of the food you eat, it's a wonder how you look so damn good all the time," Mikan ground out, if not with a bit of jealousy. She wasn't fat or ugly or anything, but there was something to be desired in being tall and appropriately thin compared to being relatively short and average. She was flippin' five feet and three inches, for Kami's sake. Compared to Sumire's five feet and ten inches, she was a dwarf. It was even more amazing because of the typical Asian roots. For an Asian girl to make it past the five feet six inches mark was something in itself. Sumire was a novelty, and judging by the haughty, though good-natured grin on her face, she damn well knew it.

"My manager doesn't think I should make it a point to eat like this but since I've been eating salads and peanuts and that shit for a good four months, I think I have a _right _to pig out with one of my best friends." She wrinkled her nose and lifted her chin, "Don't get used to this friendly side. I'm just in a terribly good mood at the moment."

Mikan lifted an eyebrow. "Can I ask why you're so happy?"

Sumire tried to play it off as something insignificant but the edge of pleasant hysteria in her voice betrayed her nonchalance. "Oh, nothing. Koko just asked me out to go to _Enchanted_ tonight! You know that restaurant that's like… impossible to get into without reserving three to four months in advance?"

Mikan's mouth dropped appropriately. "No way!"

"Yeah, way!" Sumire crooned, clasping her hands together. "I always thought he liked Anna and was going out with her while I was gone but the first thing he did on Saturday was pull me over to an empty table and ask me how I was doing."

Mikan tapped her chopsticks against her bottom lip in thought. "Well, you have to admit, you guys have always kind of had a thing. Especially at the Academy. You were best friends and all, right?"

Sumire nodded slowly. "Yeah, but that's all we were: best friends."

"But you liked him more than just a friend would."

Sumire snapped a look to Mikan's face and narrowed her eyes. "Okay, what do you know?"

Mikan couldn't help the grin that slid on her face. "Oh, just that you've had a thing for Koko since we got to middle school. You were practically panting after him while his four-year-old mind had absolutely no flippin' clue. Wasn't he just at the stage where pantsing innocent passersby and reading their thoughts out loud were his main sources of entertainment?"

Sumire sniffed disdainfully. "Yeah… well he had his moments." She crossed her legs demurely onto the couch and looked around Mikan's living room. "So, are you going to give me a tour of your place? It looks pretty sweet. I guess Natsume's treating you pretty good, huh?"

Mikan rolled her eyes. "Hyuuga treats all of his employees with one of these," she said, sweeping her hand around the room.

"Oh, don't pull that whole 'Hyuuga' shit with me, Mikan. You and I know that, despite your grudge, you don't actually _call _him that unless you're keeping up appearances."

There was a wry grin on her lips before Sumire leaned forward and ordered, "Give me a tour of your house and tell me what the hell actually _happened _on Saturday. I was actually starting to think you were trying to kill him with the way he was hacking like that."

Mikan hesitated, remembering briefly that there was a secrecy clause involved in their contract. But this was Sumire and though she wouldn't put it past Natsume to sue her or anything, she _had _to tell someone. Holing herself up in her room twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week was taxing and not having any help with this collection was killing her.

So throwing caution to the wind, Mikan leaned back into her chair and asked challengingly, "Wanna hear a secret?"

_-;-_

"Hell… where have you been," Sumire whistled, walking into her workroom and dropping her purse onto the floor. "Wow, you've been busy," she fiddled the edges of one of the swimsuits on display. "So what? He's getting you to design his first fashion line? This is _so _your big break! You know that whatever Natsume touches turns to gold and your name will be in flashing lights and on every billboard in Asian by the time the week is over and the secret's out."

Mikan snorted, "Yeah… about that…"

Sumire smiled widely, grabbing Mikan's hands and whispering, "I want to be one of your models!"

She blinked. "What? Oh, you'll have to get Natsume to decide that. And since he's so gung ho about this secrecy thing, it probably wouldn't be a good idea." Sumire pouted and opted to run a finger down one of the half-finished evening dresses she'd hung up. "But how about I hint at it?"

Sumire nodded, "Yeah, that'd be cool. I'm not taking any jobs for the next month anyway, since I taxed out all of my looks. I have to think of a 'new edge' to take," Sumire air-quoted, "—or something because apparently my manager says my fresh look is going to be old by next season." Sumire rolled her eyes. "Yeah, like I haven't heard that before." She turned and headed back to Mikan with an easy sway to her hips. "What do you think? You're part of the fashion industry. Give me your worst."

"I don't know anything about models," Mikan shook her head. "But… if I can get the go-ahead and you're allowed to be one of my models, I have _the _perfect look for you." While she talked, Mikan went to her work board and scanned through the dozens of sketches pinned to the wall. "_This_ is something I've been kind of toying with but I could never quite finish the sketch since my inspiration came up short but hell…"

Hurriedly, she took out a sketch pencil and let her mind run wild. She didn't know how long she sat their for, but she was distinctly aware of Sumire looking over her shoulder as quiet as could be, watching as she put the finishing touches to what could only be the final piece to walk her runway show. It _had _to be.

Mikan held it up and bit her lip. "What do you think?"

In an almost _awed_ exhale, "Mikan, that is _perfect_…"

_-;-_

"Do it, Hyuuga. You wanted my help now you've got it," Misaki threw her legs over his desk, crossing them at the heels. It didn't seem to bother her that her skirt was currently flopping dangerously and if he turned at just the right angle, he'd probably see up her skirt. Instead, she sent him a dark look and muttered, "Here's the thing, _Natsume_. Tsubasa's in town and I've heard from a friend of a friend of mine—"

"You mean yourself?" Natsume scoffed.

"—that he's planning on paying Mikan a visit."

Natsume's head snapped up and he narrowed his eyes darkly. "What are playing at, Harada?"

Misaki tittered a mocking laugh. "What do you _think _I'm playing at?"

Natsume clasped his hands over his desk and leaned forward. His teeth were clenched and he all but snarled, "Aren't _you _the one that likes the Shadow bastard? Why are you letting him go after Mikan?"

"He's her senpai as much as I am," she answered swiftly, playing with an unlit cigarette in between her fingers. "He can do whatever the hell he wants and you know he's always had a soft spot for our dear Tangerines." She stretched her hand out, away from her body and raised an eyebrow. Natsume obediently lit the cancer stick and leaned back. After taking a quick puff, Misaki eyed him blandly. "I don't care about what sort of stunt she pulled with wasabi. Don't be a kid and botch this one up. You still like her, you messed up and now you want to fix it. Now do what I say if you want to make things right before the month is up and she's out of your life faster than you can say, "I'm sorry.""

He didn't make a move to respond.

Misaki sighed and took another long drag from her cigarette before rolling her legs off his desk and looking at him square in the eyes. "Look, Hyuuga. Let's get one thing straight. I don't like you. I haven't liked you ever since that day when you broke my kid's heart, ok? But I know you and knowing that your pride is as fat as your ego, I know it took a lot to call me and get me to fly from China to help you out. If you mean what you say, then I'll do whatever I can to help. But I _refuse _to help a childish jack-ass that can't suck it up and follow orders."

Natsume snorted. "You know what? The truth is, _Ruka's _the one that called you over here, not me. You can do whatever the hell you want but I'll do things the way I want to. _No _one tells me what to do."

"Ruka?" Misaki blinked in surprise. A slow smile lit up her face. "You mean that adorable kid that played Snow White that one year and Sleeping Beauty in the other? Oh, if it's for him, I require nothing! He's adorable."

Before Natsume could blink, four Misaki's were holding him up against the chair and after a languid wink, Misaki was putting paging Nobara and saying, "Nobara, honey? It's Misaki. Would you be a dear and call Mikan to Hyuuga's office?"

"_I'm not authorized to take requests unless their from Hyuuga-sama himself."_

Natsume sent her a smug look with his eyes. His mouth would've done the job, if one of the Misaki's hadn't held a glue stick in front of his lips as a warning.

"Nobara? Remember when you were in middle school and Natsume refused to let you see Mikan because he thought you'd take her from him and all that shit? Do you remember what he _did _during the Alice War? Yeah. Don't worry, Nobara. You won't lose your job. Of that, I can promise you. Page her?"

After a pause in which Natsume mentally celebrated his own victory, Nobara replied, _"My pleasure."_

"Thank you," Misaki sing songed, before lifting her finger from the intercom on his desk and snapping her fingers.

The moment her doppelgangers disappeared, Natsume was on his feet and punching the intercom. "Don't do it, Ibaragi!"

"_Too late, sir. Mikan Sakura will be in your office in ten minutes. She says she has something of urgency to discuss with you, sir."_

"More like she wants a chance to kick my ass," Natsume snapped.

"_You know her too well, sir."_

He growled and hung up, running a hand through his hair in frustration before pointing an accusing finger in his senpai's direction. "This is all _your _fault."

"You know, you're kind of cute when you're all flustered like that."

"Excuse me," Natsume bit out. He stormed into his adjoined bathroom and proceeded to fill up the sink before dunking his into the sink full of water and screamed.

_-;-_

When he returned, he had thirty seconds to compose himself before there was a knock on his door and Mikan let herself in. She didn't even seem to hear his command of _Get the hell out of my office _because her eyes had landed on Misaki and she'd all but thrown herself into her senpai's arms and squealed.

"Misaki!"

"Mikan, I've missed you, kiddo."

Natsume snorted and wondered about females and their frequent mood swings. Clearing his throat rather loudly, interrupting Mikan's spew of chatter (and earning a dark glare from the girl), he murmured scathingly, "We're here for a _reason _ladies."

He pretended not to hear Misaki's murmur of '_Don't worry about him, he's just being a poop_' before she settled into one of the chairs across from him and raised an eyebrow that mocked him. Mikan followed her lead and settled into her seat, mimicking the gesture. "Now what did you want, Hyuuga?"

Natsume's eyes flashed before he counted to five in his head and responded coolly, "We were _supposed _to look for models that would be wearing your clothes but I had the ingenious thought to call Harada here to help in that department. You remember Harada made it onto the international modeling stage six months ago and just came back from her Milan and Hong Kong shoots to…" he sighed, "—help out."

Mikan's jaw dropped, slightly incredulous. "You… you called her to help me out?"

Natsume's jaw clenched. "You've been doing a terrible job in your productivity the last time I came by to check your progress," he bit out instead.

She slid a smile to Harada and Natsume's insides clenched.

"I'm so glad you're going to be helping me, Misaki-senpai! I've been _dying_. That slave driver expects me to finish a sixty—_sixty—_piece collection in a month! Tell him how impossible that is!"

Misaki proceeded to look at him with an audacious look on her face, as if asking, _are you kidding me? That _is _a bit much for a newcomer and aren't you trying to get into her good books? _But instead of giving him a piece of her mind, Misaki turned back to her and asked, "How much of that have you finished?"

Mikan bit her lip. "If I can be really productive for the rest of the night, I'll be done fifteen."

Misaki looked impressed. "Fifteen out of sixty in just a little over a month. That's pretty good. If you keep going at this rate, you'll actually make it in time. That's impressive, Mikan."

Mikan snorted. "I wish," she sighed. "Ten of them are swimsuit/lingerie and you know those are far easier to make than coats and dresses."

Misaki nodded. "Yeah, that's going to be a little tough. But hey, I may be able to help you do the little things like cutting and measuring. The 'Triple Misaki's' aren't just models, you know," Misaki winked.

She laughed and waved away her suggestion. "That's okay, Misaki-senpai. I'm using my Alices for that. You could come around and hang out, though. I've been bored out of my mind just sitting in my room and working. You know, with the secrecy clause and everythi—"

Her eyes immediately snapped up and she narrowed her eyes at Natsume accusingly. "You! You just broke the terms of our secrecy clause!"

Natsume scoffed, "We both agreed to tell Harada and—"

"I did no such thing! No offence, Misaki-senpai. If you can tell whoever the hell you want, I should be able to tell whoever the hell I want!" She breathed in to calm herself before snapping her eyes back to him and hissed, "—which reminds me, Sumire is going to be one of my models. I don't care if you disagree because apparently, the contract doesn't even flippin' matter, now does it?"

Natsume ground his teeth to keep him from snapping at her. Instead, he looked at the half-smirking and half-laughing Misaki and said, "Get the hell out of my office, you." Without watching his order being carried out, he pinned his gaze on Mikan and followed, "And you. I'm going to remind you, because you seem to have forgotten, who the hell owns you right now. Got it?"

Her reaction to his words shouldn't have surprised him. "Own me? You think you _own _me?! Oh _wow_, Hyuuga. I can't believe you actually have the gall to say something like that! I am my own person and will remain as such in or out of your employment, you got that?" She seethed quietly in her seat before jumping to her feet and pacing around the room. "Honestly, where do you get around to saying something as stupid as that? I would've thought with us growing up, you would've developed your brain cells but apparently you're just as mature as when we were in the Academy!"

He stood up angrily. "_I'm _being immature? What right do you have to say that _I'm _being immature when I went out of my way to be _civil _to you for once and what do you do? You force a flippin' wad of wasabi-shit in my mouth! _That's _mature for you right there, Sakura. Right there! And you seem to forget that you _are_ in my employment. I'm giving you a place to live to do pretty much whatever the hell you want and what you apparently love and if the contract damn well says something, and I happen to breach it, fine. You have a reason to want something in return but you will _not _go around thinking that the rest of our contract is void because of one bloody slip-up."

"Who the hell died and made _you _boss!"

"I've always been the boss!"

Someone knocked timidly at the door and both of their heads turned to bark, "What the hell do you want?!"

The door opened and in stepped a tall, leggy redhead whose eyes floated from one to the other timidly. She all but grinned when she saw Mikan. She seemed not to have noticed the dark cloud of tension in the room because she murmured to herself, "Oh my gosh, don't make a fool of yourself in front of Mikan Sakura. She's just a war hero and all, no big deal. Nothing to freak out for and make her think you're just a mindless fan. But oh my gosh, it's Mikan Sakura. Mikan _Sakura_. Breathe, just breathe—"

"Aiko!" Natsume roared. "What the hell do you want? If it's nothing, get the hell out of my office!"

The girl jumped and straightened. "You wanted the models, sir. I've got them lined up for your perusal."

Mikan's head snapped up to his. "Models? Perusal? Really, Hyuuga. This is a flippin' office and you can take your little conquests outside of the public eye. This is just _despicable. _I thought you were better than this!"

"I can do whatever the hell I want, Sakura. Whether it's in my office or in my apartment or wherever the hell else I own, if it's mine then I can do whatever the heck I want with it. What's it to _you_?"

Her cheeks were pink with rage and her hair had fallen out of her hair elastic and down her shoulders. They were messy and crackling with electricity. Natsume had never seen her look so beautiful. "What is it to me? You're shameless and you're disgusting! I refuse to be in the same _room _with you, you perverted pig!" With that she turned around and headed toward the door, ignoring the stunned look of confusion on Aiko's face.

Moving quickly, Natsume snatched up her arm and dragged her back into the room, shoving her into the chair across his desk and narrowing his eyes at her. "You will leave when I want you to leave, dammit. You will remember that as long as our contract stands, you are _mine _and no one else's!"

"Like hell!"

Someone coughed and both of their heads whipped around to find Misaki leaning against Natsume's bookcase with a wry grin on her lips. "Well, the both of _you _are definitely overworked. Mikan, tomorrow you have a date with Tsubasa. Natsume has a date with me. Double date at Enchanted." She looked from one to the other with a Cheshire grin on her face. "Good luck with that sexual tension."

And then Aiko and Misaki were out the door.

The both of them looked at each other, heaving chests and faces red with rage before they both snarled, "This is all _your _fault!"

* * *

_My Hopeless Romantic_


	6. Fifth Disastrous Encounter

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Gakuen Alice.

* * *

**The Devil's Contract**

_If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried.  
-Anonymous_

_Chapter 6. Fifth Disastrous Encounter_

_-;-_

Natsume was _done _being civil.

Funny thing was, when he thought about it, this was probably just how Mikan had felt when they'd first met in the Academy and she'd tried to befriend him, only to get the cold shoulder. Well, for him, it was a new experience trying to be nice and have someone completely throw it back in his face.

Then again, she hadn't stopped trying.

But on the other hand, he'd never been anything like Mikan Sakura. And where she wouldn't have stopped trying no matter what the circumstances, Natsume was really just ready to give up. What was the point in trying to please somebody that didn't appreciate the efforts? God, the girl was going to drive him insane one of these days, if he wasn't already.

"Wow, you look like you need another drink, Natsume."

Natsume looked over warily and held out his empty champagne glass, watching almost fascinated when the faint yellow liquid filled up to the top. He nodded as thanks and downed the thing in three shallow goes.

"Hyuuga, stop that." He watched as his best friend's wife looked at him disapprovingly and muttered, "Nogi, stop giving in to the eyes."

"Do you _not _see him, Hotaru?! He looks like he's been through hell and back!"

"Be that as it may," velvet eyes bore into the side of his face. "—I don't think drinking will make him feel any better about himself. Now Hyuuga, what the hell did you do now?"

Natsume's eyes snapped up to meet hers and he frowned, slightly offended, more annoyed, "What makes you think _I'm _in the wrong? Why can't it be _her _this time?"

Hotaru merely raised an eyebrow and looked stern (which was more funny than intimidating with her huge belly) before she returned, "You always look like you regret kicking a newborn puppy when you know you've done something incredibly stupid. Now what did you do?"

"Your cooking was delicious, Imai," Natsume offered instead, swirling the small gulp of champagne Ruka had poured in his glass.

Hotaru looked more amused than annoyed. "You know as well as I do that the meal was courtesy of the chef I keep hidden behind the pantry, Hyuuga."

"Natsume, please," Ruka hissed, in what would've been a whisper, if not for Hotaru having kicked him in the shin. "Hotaru is going to give me more hell than usual if you don't answer. You know she will."

Natsume looked at him with mild disgust. "You're so whipped, I'm getting nauseous." He looked at Hotaru with a raised eyebrow before muttering, "Well you wanted to know so bad, so here it is. I hired her to work for me. You know as well as I do, about that silly dream she had when we were at school. Well, I asked her to make a sixty-piece collection by the end of the month and so far, instead of taking advantage of her position under me—don't give me that look, Ruka, you dick—the gap between us has been growing every day because she's too stubborn and I'm too stubborn and she's too proud and everyone damn knows _I'm _too proud…"

After a long moment's pause, Ruka said in awe, "So _that's _what it was… how could I have been so stupid! Natsume, you're a genius! I probably didn't have to ask Misaki-senpai to help you get Mikan and you back together then."

"Yeah, I have to _talk _to you about that," Natsume leered in annoyance. "I suppose we need to have that 'you're not supposed to stick your nose into my business' talk again."

Hotaru was drumming her fingers against her stomach in thought before Ruka lifted her hand off and intertwined their fingers together. "I, for one," Hotaru started, "—am pleasantly surprised you're being the bigger person this time, Hyuuga. You've always struck me as the type to wait for her to apologize for things she didn't even do. Make this right, Hyuuga. You're three years late but those lovesick fools tend to say it's better late than never."

"And you, my friend, are a lovesick fool."

"Ruka?" Natsume plunked his champagne glass onto the table. "When this is all over, trust me when I say I'm going to _kill _you."

Ruka merely grinned.

_-;-_

To say Mikan was excited about tonight would've been an outright lie. She loved seeing Tsubasa, sure, but knowing that _Natsume _was going to be there would be like a wet blanket on the idea. It wasn't a new thing, this idea of Tsubasa and her together. She'd always had a little thing for him, the messy midnight blue hair and mirroring blue eyes. Plus, that star tattoo on his cheek was still _way _too sexy. It was a star, sure. Kinda dorky, but still. A tattoo was a tattoo and on his face, it had always been cool.

And even though he hadn't been able to play an active role in the Alice War like the others had, her admiration for Tsubasa was still very apparent. And it wasn't like she couldn't relate to having to tend to dying parents and all.

Even during the war, he'd sent her flowers and chocolates for both her birthday and Valentine's Day. She remembered everyone had been crooning and admiring of the flowers while they were working in one of the many Science classrooms which had been turned into a room of mini work places. She might've even remembered Natsume throwing a dark look of irritation her way for distracting the whole room from focusing on the task at hand. The task, of course, had been focused on keeping the students in the school safe if ever the War was moved from areas outside of the school into the Academy grounds themselves.

She shook her head of the thoughts and leaned back against her chair, holding up the newly finished pants that would go with a button up blouse in coral and a violet sash.

One reason she couldlook forward to, however, was the fact that tonight would be full of food and chatter. No work and no worries. She knew, at the back of her mind, she'd be scrounging around and panicking by the time the night was over, but there was something delightful in the idea of relaxing after a taxing day.

The minute beep of the intercom sounded and Mikan sighed warily before answering.

"_Hey Mikan. It's Nobara. Mr. Hyuuga wants to remind you that your reservations are for seven o'clock and to be ready at six thirty." _There was a muffled voice in the background that sounded distinctly like Natsume's before Nobara continued, _"He'd also like to include that if you are even one minute late, he will leave without you and you can find your own_," she paused and whispered something back before sighing, _"—effin' way there. Is that all, Mr. Hyuuga? …That is all, Mikan."_

Mikan snorted a laugh. "Thanks, Nobara. Screw you, Hyuuga."

_-;-_

At six o'clock and after much deliberation, Mikan decided it was best she didn't try to annoy Natsume any further and begin getting ready for the night. Usually she'd do the whole treatment with bath oils and everything, but tonight she just didn't have the time and patience to carry out a full body bath. Instead, she took a shower, taking care to lather up her hair and shaving her legs because unlike Hotaru, Mother Nature hadn't given her the gift of hairless legs.

She even thought to put on a touch of make-up, putting just a little more concealer underneath her eyes to cover up the massive dark circles that spoke of the countless nights she'd stayed up to sketch outfits before they flew from her mind or finished sewing on a button that would've otherwise slipped her mind if she left it for the next day.

She was looking for a pair of shoes when the doorbell rang five times in a row and without thinking, she hollered, "It's open!"

Immediately she regretted inviting Hyuuga into her personal space and hurriedly chose a pair before all but flying into the living room to find him flipping through one of Sumire's magazines. "I didn't know you read this trash," he commented, flinging the issue down onto the coffee table. She turned away from the picture of him on the table before glaring him in the eyes.

"Just wait here like a good little boy and I'll be right out."

"But Polka Dots," he murmured in a husky, masculine voice, "—I'm not a good little boy…"

She blushed and shot him a dirty look. "Just sit down and shut up, Hyuuga. I'll be right out, dammit."

And then she rushed into the bathroom to fix up the mass of wet brunette locks that were already dotting the silk of her dress.

_-;-_

Natsume followed her into the bathroom and leaned against the doorframe, watching her blow dark strands away from her face before huffing and putting her hands on her hips. "Hyuuga, do you _not _understand orders? This is _my _place and you'll do as I flippin' say!"

"Technically," he drawled, looking into the indignant eyes reflecting in the bathroom mirror, "—this whole building is mine and since you're living here for free, I think it's safe to say this apartment is mine, too." He eyed her fumbling hands and raised an eyebrow. "Need help with that?"

"I wouldn't trust you with the casing to my brain if a mad neurologist was running at me with a butcher knife," she said crisply, trying to pin up all of the little pieces of hair that escaped her messy but charming bun.

"Touché."

And then he was silent because talking to her was distracting anyway and he really just wanted to admire the picture she painted in his head. Despite her irritated groans of annoyance, Natsume couldn't help but appreciate the way the midnight forest green accentuated the paleness of her skin that, if pulled from the fluorescent lights of the bathroom, would appear almost white like that of a porcelain doll.

It was a ballsy dress, one that he would never picture her wearing. It was a dress he would _never _allow her to wear in public but seeing as she wouldn't care whether it bothered him or not, he didn't say a word. The dress spoke of it itself.

It was simple with to straps holding it up that tied around her waist. He knew there was a specific word for this dress, but he wasn't into woman's fashion and he could really care less. It just looked damn good. The thing he liked most, and bothered him most, was the daring plunge at the back of the dress that exposed quite a bit of her flawless skin.

He almost had to look away or he'd blush like a school boy.

"Okay… and I'm ready!" She did one twirl in front of the mirror before turning towards him and raising an eyebrow. "Are you going to move or what?"

He swallowed. "You missed a strand."

She whirled around, "What?!"

"Here, I've got it." And without a second thought, or even a first one, he moved forward and grabbed one of the bobby pins on the bathroom counter before lifting the dark strands of hair trailing down her back for her inspection. With one swift movement, he clipped it up and away from her face, pushing some of her bangs away from her eyes, around her ear.

Her eyes were looking at him, shocked and before he knew it, his heart was pounding in his chest and he knew he was being utterly ridiculous.

Clearing his throat, Natsume turned around and started out the door, calling, "Hurry up, Sakura. We don't have all day. Wouldn't want to keep lover-boy waiting."

He regretted saying it the moment the words left his lips.

_-;-_

"Don't tell me you're actually nervous," Natsume's irritated voice ground out. "That's ridiculous."

Mikan glared at him from over her shoulder and then turned back to the line of photographers who were waiting for people to step out of their cars and into _Enchanted_. It was absolutely insane. "Why the heck are there so many flippin' people waiting out there? God…"

"It's _Enchanted_. This place is swarming with the rich and someone was probably tipped off that a big celebrity would be here," Natsume informed bored, fiddling with the lip of his champagne glass. "Really, you'd think that being a war hero and all, you'd be used to this kind of attention."

"Most of these people don't even _know_ I was a part of the war. They're…" she struggled for words, "—_normal_. They don't have Alices like we do and for those that do… well, unlike you," she threw back immediately, "I don't advertise myself on magazines and newspapers and whatnot to keep in the public eye. I actually took Jin-Jin's advice to heart and kept a low profile for some years to keep all of the hubbubaloo away."

"That hurts," Natsume deadpanned. "Now get out of the car. It's our turn."

She couldn't even process the next two minute to get from the car to the third pair of doors that led into the restaurant. It was funny, Mikan had heard of this place and all of the hype there was around it, but she really hadn't expected _this _type of welcome. There were bouncers there, for Kami's sake.

But she felt him forge a path through the crowd and the tight grip he had on her arm and knew she was safe. She would always be safe if he was around.

The moment they were in the doors, however, his hand was gone and he was walking ahead rather quickly to meet up with Misaki, who had immediately started waving them over. It was surprising, how different Misaki looked. Back at the Academy, she had a sort of tomboyish feel to her apparel and the way she fluffed up her hair so that it looked like she'd just rolled out of bed. Now, however, her hair was up in an elegant bun and her sleek black dress hung from her shoulders like it'd been tailored just for her. It fit like a glove, accentuating her curves in all the right places but showed just enough leg and ankle for Mikan to appreciate the way she donned her three inch heels.

No wonder she was on the International stage as a model. God, what she wouldn't give to be an inch or two taller…

"Mikan, where the heck have you two been? We've been waiting an _éternité _for you!" And like an apparition, Tsubasa was at her side with that familiar boyish grin on his face and his hair in disarray. He looked like he'd been forced into his tuxedo, however, because his button-up shirt was slightly disheveled and his tie, wonky and wrinkled.

"Tsubasa-senpai…" Mikan whispered. Then she grinned and had jumped into his arms.

_-;-_

The four of them had taken a seat at a quiet table in the corner before the waiter came and asked for drinks. Natsume had practically jumped at the chance to order three champagnes and a _"Pepsi for this one"_, and he'd jabbed a finger in her direction with a smug smirk on his lips. Mikan took back any positive words she'd ever spoken to his regard.

Vowing to try to have a good night with the pig sitting beside her, Mikan turned to look at Tsubasa (and away from Natsume) and smiled. "So what have you been up to, Tsubasa-senpai? You haven't been back in Japan for years!"

Tsubasa chuckled. "Two years, at least, but who's counting?" His blue eyes were twinkling as he looked from Misaki to Mikan. "Has Misaki not told you? I'm playing for China's soccer team right now _and _kicking _ass_ while I'm at it."

Misaki snorted, "And I thought this kid was a cocky bastard," she muttered, jabbing her finger in Natsume's direction, who was brooding and nursing his drink.

Natsume shot her a dark look before glaring at the Tsubasa and turning resolutely away.

"The kid loves me, as usual," Tsubasa said proudly, grinning from ear to ear. "But hey, I heard you're working for him now, aren't you Mikan? What's up with that? I would've thought that, with what happened during the Alice War and all, you'd hate him for life. I heard you _did _hate him."

Mikan shifted slightly in her seat and Natsume piped in, "What the hell, Andou? Don't talk as if I'm not in the room. And Harada, I thought I told you to keep this a secret."

Tsubasa merely raised an eyebrow and prompted Mikan to respond. "He's still the annoying, jackass bully as before but now you throw in some slave driver qualities and the pride of a lion and you get what is now my boss," Mikan said wryly, throwing Natsume a look to even _dare _him to say otherwise. "But—"

"_You're _the one who agreed to this assignment, so suck it up, princess because I really don'—"

"BUT," Mikan cut in, narrowing her eyes, "—I like the assignment he's given me and he pays generously. I'd be stupid not to work for him."

Natsume frowned and stood up. "Okay, fine. You three have this little heart-to-heart while I get a drink at the bar, go to the bathroom, grab a smoke. I don't care. But the moment I get back, this discussion is over."

And then he was gone.

If Mikan was being honest, she felt bad for it.

Sharing a look with Misaki, Mikan opened her lips to call off the discussion when Tsubasa lifted a finger. "I have to know." Tsubasa bit his lip and his expression was disapproving. "I really don't know. I've always thought you were a little too good for him and I have a feeling he _knows _that. Mikan, don't you think it's kind of… I don't know, risky to work for him? You might just fall for him again and after what happened before, I really don't want to see you like that."

Mikan opened and closed her mouth three times. "Wait what? _Risky_? Did you just say risky?" She crossed her arms over her chest and huffed. "Tsubasa-senpai, the _war _was risky. Holding onto something metal during a thunderstorm is risky. Trying to do an Evel Knievel when you don't have any experience with motorbikes is risky. There is _nothing _risky about Natsume Hyuuga."

Tsubasa merely shook his head and sighed. "You guys had something really… well, you guys had _something _not too long ago and I'm just worried you're going to get yourself hurt again because of him. Didn't you think about this sort of thing when you agreed to work for him? Just tell me you've thought it through on accounts. Then, at least, I can be at ease."

"Of course I've thought about it!" Mikan looked appalled, the heat of her anger almost making way to tears. "What do you take me for, Tsubasa-senpai? Misaki-senpai, too. I know you feel the same way and really, you guys don't have to worry about me. I've never been smart from the start but when you guys left, I _did _work at it and I'm not a stupid little girl anymore. I don't fall for the same tricks twice."

There was silence before Misaki asked softly, "What if he wanted you back? What if he tried winning you back? … Would you take him?"

Mikan twisted her hands and glared at the white tablecloth. "No, of course I wouldn't! … or maybe… I don't know, it depends?" She blinked away tears and looked up to the ceiling, willing the onslaught of frustration. "Who cares? He's an asshole right now anyways, so I'm not even going to jump the gun and consider scenarios that are probably never going to happen. If he wants me, he's going to have to do a _lot _to win me back after all of the things I've been through—"

"It really doesn't look like he'll have to do much," Tsubasa said quietly, ignoring the daggers she was shooting from her eyes. "Look at you. If you don't have a straight 'no' as an answer to that question, then you'd be willing to take him back under some kind of circumstance. I just want you to be careful, Mikan. Don't let your guard down."

"This isn't the War, _senpai_." Mikan ground out, ready to just up and leave. "I can _handle_ Hyuuga."

Tsubasa's expression was grave. "But can you handle Natsume?"

Mikan blinked and looked at him incredulously before throwing her napkin on the table and storming from the restaurant.

_-;-_

It took Natsume ten minutes to realize he was still sitting (and hiding) in the booth behind them, listening to whispered murmurs between Tsubasa and Misaki. He'd paid the manager a hefty sum to listen in on the conversation and though his pocket was significantly lighter, what he'd gleaned was far more valuable than anything he'd ever spent his money on.

He jumped up from his seat and walked outside, calling his car only to find it was already being in use by one Mikan Sakura. Boy, that girl had some _nerve _to take his car but Natsume would be lying if he didn't revel in her sharing his things a little bit.

It took twenty minutes for another car to pick him up and another twenty minutes to beat the traffic and get to her apartment. When he found her, she was huddled in front of the door, sitting on a bench inside the building with her head in her hands.

He almost called her by her given name before necessity told him to call her, "Polka Dots."

Without moving her hands, she murmured between her hands, "I forgot my apartment keys."

He sighed and ushered her into the elevator with the excuse, "I have the master key, let's go."

She looked like she wanted to argue or to slap him, but to be honest, with the conversation she'd just had, she had a reason to be wary of him. He knew she hadn't known he was listening. Of that, at least, he was certain. Whether she hated him at the moment or not was something else altogether.

"You alright?" he said gruffly.

She looked at him through tired, conflicted eyes and ground out, "Do I _look _like I'm fine, Hyuuga? Really, just leave me the hell alone and we'll get through the next two and a half weeks just fine. I am _sick _and _tired _of this little cat and mouse game we're playing so if you could just keep your distance, I'll keep mine and we'll both make it out alive—"

One moment she was talking, the next moment he was kissing her.

It was a soft kiss on the lips, innocent and chaste, but she all but threw him off with anger in her eyes and stormed off of the elevator with his key in her hands.

He slept in his office that day.

* * *

_My Hopeless Romantic_


	7. Sixth Strains of Tension

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Gakuen Alice.

* * *

**The Devil's Contract**

_If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried.  
-Anonymous_

_Chapter 7. Sixth Strain of Tension_

_-;-_

Oh, if her grandfather could see her now, he'd be awfully disappointed.

The old man had always been keen on those who worked hard, who stood on their own two feet and refused to give up but those three things were three thoughts that just didn't rub her the right way.

It had been two nights since that night where Tsubasa and Misaki had blatantly told her there was no way she'd be able to fight off Natsume's advances successfully. Once she'd cooled down and thought about it, if Mikan was being honest with herself, she'd been working for him for two weeks now and already, the heavy ramparts, accompanied by the castle complete with moat and alligators she'd built around her heart the moment the two of them had called it quits, was starting to feel insignificant against the force that was Natsume Hyuuga.

She hated to think of her own weakness and restrictions but Mikan knew, if under given circumstances, Natsume ever wanted her back, asked for her back, she'd give herself to him again without batting an eyelash.

The thought disgusted her so much, she almost wanted the retch in the toilet if her stomach wasn't riding on empty and if she wasn't too tired to move from her sprawled out position on her bed. She was almost too lazy to reach out to her bedside table to pick up the phone when it rang a second later.

"_Mikan."_

Mikan propped herself onto her elbows and frowned. "Hotaru? Hey, what's up?"

"_Are you busy today?"_

Mikan sighed, looking up at the ceiling and fiddling with the hem of her shirt. "I am, but I'm sure as hell not going to be doing any work today. What'd you have in mind?"

"_What do you say to a little taste of the olden days?"_

Mikan was immediately on guard, stepping out of bed and throwing the curtains over to overlook the streets below. "What did you have in mind, Hotaru Imai?"

"_Spying. Shouda and Yome are going on a date tonight at a theme park. Six o'clock."_

As funny as that might sound, Mikan immediately began having second thoughts. Hotaru, though never reckless and thoughtless, was pregnant and Mikan heard a little thing from Serina-sensei not too long ago about pregnant women losing their minds. Hotaru may not be accountable for her actions and Mikan sure as heck wasn't going to give up the title of godmother.

"Are you sure you're up for the smell of vomit, taste of sweets and the rides?" Mikan said wryly, grinning into the phone. "I'm not sure if you've noticed or not, Hotaru, but you're kinda pregnant."

There was a pause on the other end of the phone before Hotaru riposted,_"Thanks for the reminder, Stupid. I'm well aware, now are you coming or not? I may be pregnant, but I'm not stupid. Of course I'm not going on the rides."_

"Then what _are _you doing?"

"_You mean, 'we'. And we'll be eating and spying. Duh."_

Mikan grinned. Somebody had to keep this girl out of trouble. "I'll see you at six."

Well it seemed like she had plans tonight.

_-;-_

When Hotaru called her to come out of her apartment, Mikan saw her sitting behind the wheel of Ruka's prized baby, his Audi Spyder. It was a laughable image. The woman was almost twenty two years old now and as pregnant as an elephant, but here she was donning her sleek black sunglasses, sitting in her fiancé's sleek black Audi, top down, with an emotionless mask on her face.

"Are you coming in or what?"

Mikan merely shook her head. "You have to let me drive. You're pregnant for God's sake."

Hotaru tipped her sunglasses down with an 'are you kidding me?' expression on her face. Mikan slid into the passenger seat and buckled in.

It would be a long ride.

"How did you manage to get out of the flippin' house without Ruka on your tail?" Mikan asked once they'd made it to the highway and were breaking past the 100mph mark. "He should remember you're crazy when you're behind the wheel."

"He mentioned having to go to the office to talk to Hyuuga about some documents so I took the liberty in acquiring his ride for the day," Hotaru sniffed, turning into the long drive towards Tokyo's resident amusement park.

"So you're telling me you lied and stole his car to hang out with me?" Mikan said with amusement, if not a bit of alarm. "That's sweet and really deranged, Hotaru. Those hormones of yours are probably _way _out of whack!"

"That'll teach him not to boss me around and hole me up at home." Hotaru's voice was deadly. She smirked wickedly and parked, moving the top back up and rolling up the windows. "Are you ready for this?"

Mikan gaped at her before she laughed with disbelief. "Oh my God, you're insane and like… eight months pregnant and you want to go to a theme park. I think we're in the Twilight Zone."

Hotaru almost grinned. "Let's go."

When they got there, Hotaru smelled fried beef somewhere and they went off in search for said delicacy. Mikan tried not to watch her best friend gorge on food like she'd never eaten and had to remind her several times, _Hotaru, I don't think that's good for the baby. _

Hotaru had merely raised an eyebrow and plunked down whatever she'd taken a hold of before walking to the next booth. Needless to say, everyone eyed Hotaru like she was ready to explode and Mikan reveled in the wide berth everyone left them. It was awesome not having to wait in lines when there was a pregnant woman on the loose.

"I thought we were here to spy on Sumire," Mikan said dryly, eyeing Hotaru's plate of fries. "Did that slip your mind or was the food your ultimate reason for coming here?"

Hotaru raised an eyebrow before pushing her plate of fries over to Mikan, who immediately starting snacking, and said, "Shouda and Koko are probably at some ski and snowboard resort, ready to get their snow on."

"Wow, you _so _didn't just say that, Hotaru. That was wrong, just wrong."

Hotaru merely rolled her eyes and glared. "Hormones. The reason for all of this," Hotaru gesticulated around to the rides and the food stands, "—was because Misaki called me and told me about what happened two nights ago. I thought you'd need cheering up."

Mikan's mood immediately dampened and she sighed, "Yeah, well. Did you lie about Ruka going to the office?"

"Oh, that was the truth. He has absolutely no idea," Hotaru smirked, leaning back in her chair. "That'll drive him crazy for a good few hours."

"That's cruel," Mikan commented, eyeing Hotaru critically. "But as sweet as the gesture is, I'm not sad or anything. This was nice but totally unnecessary."

"You didn't tell me you were working for Natsume, Mikan," Hotaru said sternly. "I mean, I know about the secrecy clause but I thought you'd throw caution to the wind and tell me anyway. You know Hyuuga's not stupid enough to sue you for anything while I'm your best friend and Nogi's my fiancé. He'd just be _stupid _then and one thing we both are aware of is the fact that Natsume Hyuuga is anything but stupid. Awkward, yes. Annoying, yes. Smug and cocky, yes and yes, but not stupid."

Mikan eyed her warily and plucked another handful of French fries. "I'm not going to lie and say you're wrong," Mikan folded her arms, shrugging. They let the muffled screams and smell of sugar fill their noses before Mikan continued, "Let's just say, I wasn't ready to share this quite yet. 'sides, I knew you'd find out before the public anyway."

"And you thought I'd have tried to sway you into working for someone other than the guy that stomped on your heart, didn't you? Or did you think I was going to laugh and cheer that you'd finally grown a pair of ovaries and done something?" Hotaru said blandly, a stern set to her lips. "You can tell me the whole truth. I know when you're not telling me anything. You're still as obvious and easy to read as always."

"No," Mikan shook her head, grinning wryly, despite having been caught in the act. "I'm not easy to read, you just know me too well."

"Be that as it may."

Mikan sighed and at the rollercoaster going round and round. Without looking at Hotaru, she explained, "I knew you were going to question me. Whether you'd tell me to work for him or not work for him wasn't even the issue, Hotaru, because I know you as well as you know me and I know instead of putting your opinion on me first, you'd question every single angle and every single motive that he could have and list off the pros and cons in your head and to be honest, I don't think I could've gone through an interrogation at the time, no matter if it was a good decision on my part or not."

Hotaru watched her dazed, glassy eyes through clear violet and wondered what in the world was going on in her best friend's complex mind. When they were young, Mikan was innocent, simple and naïve, but despite frequent reminders of how dense she was, moments of insight occasionally shone through when situations called for them. She'd always been complicated in her own eccentric way. Now that she'd grown up, however, facing two years of an inconstant Alice War, Mikan's carefree mind had morphed into something troubled and martyr-esque.

Hotaru didn't like it, didn't like it at all.

She'd always had a soft spot for the girl. They'd grown up together, had always vowed to grow old together and look where they were now. They were best friends but they were keeping secrets and lying and hell, she was pregnant at the age of twenty one and going to happily married after the baby was born and Mikan had remained in her tiny shell of who she'd once been. It was like they'd completely switched places.

Hotaru had always been the screwed up one with her lack of emotions and her tendency to push anybody that got too close to love money, food and blackmail more than the average person. Hell, she was the one that shied away from physical contact and blushed at the use of the word, "like."

Mikan was the one who was supposed to be married young to that idiot, Hyuuga, making babies and singing stupid love songs and skipping down rose petals and yellow brick roads. Why was everyone so messed _up_?

She tasted something bittersweet on her lips, only to realize they were tears. Feeling absolutely ridiculous and cursing her hormones, Hotaru looked at her best friend—with her messy brown hair coming down her shoulders and her glassy eyes staring at nothing at all—and wanted to tell the world to back off.

"Mikan."

She whipped her eyes to meet hers and blinked. "Hotaru, what's wrong? Are you… _are you crying_? What the hell is going on?!"

"Settle down, Stupid," Hotaru scoffed, brushing them away. "Listen. Let's not lie to each other anymore, ok? We're supposed to grow old together. I'm not going to grow old with a liar."

Mikan wrinkled her nose and frowned. "Growing old together? What are you talking about, Hotaru? You sound like you're confessing to me."

The girl was so stupid.

"Go get me a pizza stick, moron," Hotaru replied instead, hoping to be able to pull herself together before Mikan got back. God dammit, the tears.

"I'll do one better," Mikan stood up, giving her best friend a one-armed hug. "I'll ride the rollercoaster, buy you a pretzel _and _a pizza stick."

Hotaru merely rolled her eyes. "Just go away."

Two minutes in, a cloud darkened overhead and looking up and praying to God, Hotaru whispered, "Oh God…"

_-;-_

Humming softly, Mikan ignored the disgusted looks of the many who were gawking at her display of food. She'd gotten the whole shebang for Hotaru: pretzels, pizza sticks, fries, spring rolls and some fish balls. Boy, that girl was being _way _too spoiled. Hotaru really needed to give her some credit being her best friend and all.

Mikan just hoped she'd appreciate the gesture as much as _she _appreciated Hotaru's little tirade about best friends and oldness.

She was just about to start whistling again when she caught sight of Hotaru slightly hunched in her seat and breathing heavily. She dropped the food onto the table and rushed over to look at Hotaru's face. "What the hell is wrong with you, Hotaru?!"

Hotaru glared at the contents on the table. "What the hell is wrong with _me? _What the hell is wrong with _that_!"

"It's food!"

"I can see it's food, moron!"

"Why are we yelling?!"

Hotaru took a couple of calming breaths before she half-hissed, half-yelled, "Because my water just flippin' broke and my pants are wet and I'm not due for another flippin' _month_, that's why!"

Mikan almost fainted.

Hotaru pinched her none too gently and hissed, "You better go call the ambulance or get me to the hospital or I'm going to lose this baby and probably punch you in the face. Cell phone, now!"

Mikan dug into her jeans pocket and punched in the emergency number before shouting into the phone, "Oh my God, my friend is going into labor and we're at an amusement park!"

By this time, a circle of mothers were surrounding Hotaru who looked like one wrong move and they'd no longer have eyes. Mikan frantically tried to calm down and answered the questions the person on the other line was asking. _"Miss, what's the address of this amusement park?"_

"How the hell am I supposed to know that!? We're at the… that stupid… the Yokohama Cosmoland! That's it! Come quickly!"

"_How old is the lady in labor?"_

"Why the heck does that matter? She's only flippin' twenty one!"

"_These questions are strictly procedure, Miss. Now can you please ask her if she's felt any contractions yet?"_

Mikan looked over at Hotaru, who looked ready to lunge at the next person who crooned over her and whispered soothing words in her ear, and filtered through her thoughts, scrambling for an idea that would make this process go faster. She settled for, "Oh my God, there's blood everywhere!"

"_An ambulance is right on its way, Miss. Make sure to keep the lady in labor conscious and calm."_

"Will do, goodbye!" Mikan rushed to Hotaru's side and nudged a few old ladies out of the way. It would've made her feel bad if not for the fact that they elbowed her _back _and told her to wait _her damn turn_ like her whale of a best friend was something on exhibition. "Oh God, how are you holding up?"

She was inhaling and exhaling methodically until she heard the question. She breathed in and all but snarled, "If one of them runs their hand down my stomach one more time, I'm going to body slam them to the ground and fuckin' strangle them with my own bare hands."

With that, the women took one step back.

They didn't stop crooning.

The next on the list was Ruka.

He picked up on the second ring.

"_Mikan, do you have any idea where Hotaru is? I've been calling her for hours but she probably has her phone off. Oh my God, she took my car. She totally took my car…"_

"Who cares about your bloody car, Ruka. You're fiancé's water just broke and she's at an amusement park!"

"_What the hell is she doing at an amusement park?! Oh…"_

"Oh?" Mikan barked into the phone. "That's all you can say? Her water just broke and she's surrounded by people that she doesn't know and I swear she's going to be thrown in jail for committing a felony any second and all you can say is _oh?_"

"_Where are you? Please tell me you're sitting in the waiting room at the hospital or at least _heading _to a hospital."_

"We're still at the amusement park. No wait, I think I hear sirens. Shut up for a second."

"_Shut up? My wife is going into labor and you want me to shut _up_?"_

Mikan ignored him and tilted her head to the side, hearing the distinct wail of the coming ambulance. Her heart jumping to her throat, Mikan hurriedly told Ruka the news before rushing back to Hotaru's side and getting one of the surrounding women to wave the paramedics over.

Hotaru's breaths were shallow. "We are _never _going to this park ever again. These flippin' tourists or whoever the hell they are have been so _touchy_. I feel like I've just allowed myself to be violated again and again."

Two paramedics raced over with a stretcher. Hotaru snarled at them and told them to keep their _hands to yourself or I'll get one of them to bite your hands off _and proceeded to waddle herself onto the stretcher.

They both climbed into the ambulance and once the whir of the sirens wailed overhead once more and once she was completely settled, Hotaru locked eyes with wild brown ones and smiled. "Now that's a story to tell my grandkids."

And Mikan promptly burst into tears.

_-;-_

"Get her the hell out of here! She's panicking the patient!"

Mikan was all but shoved out of the room and with a petulant glare and light kick at the door, she settled onto one of the plastic chairs across from Natsume, who was looking on with amusement. Five minutes of silence passed before he asked, "Why were you at a theme park?"

Mikan glared at him and shoved her hair behind her ears. "Hotaru has been labor for five hours now and they won't let me inside! Panicking the patient? Hotaru doesn't _panic_!"

Natsume nodded, pretending her answer to his question made perfect sense. "You're aware it's two in the morning?"

"Of course I know! Why do you think I've been counting the flippin' hours for Hotaru to have her baby?!"

Natsume merely raised an eyebrow before one of the nurses threw the doors open and pointed at Mikan. "You. Miss Imai refuses to cooperate unless you're told to go to bed. Labors usually last up to fifteen hours and she doesn't want you up." Then she was back in the operating room and Natsume was chuckling.

"What are _you _laughing at?" Mikan snarled, beginning to pace.

"Leave it to Imai to order the staff around while she's in labor," Natsume snorted, pulling at his tie until it had loosened a good deal. "She's right. Sleep. I'll keep watch."

"I'm fine. I'm not leaving this hallway until Hotaru's baby has been in my arms for more than five minutes and the both of them are fine."

Natsume scowled and crossed his arms. "You're not going to budge, are you?"

"Never."

_-;-_

"If you touch me _one _more time, I'm going to throw you against the wall."

"I'm _shivering _with fear, Polka Dots," Natsume drawled, keeping his arms and legs thrown at every corner of the makeshift bed they'd acquired. In actuality, though, he'd paid a large sum of money to move one of the beds in the employee's "on-call" room to the hallway directly in front of Hotaru's operating room. The lights had been appropriately dimmed and after a fifteen minute argument on how they didn't want to share the bed with the other, the both of them had climbed warily into bed.

But he couldn't stop touching her.

She smelled of strawberry shampoo and sunshine. It was a hard smell to let go.

Feigning a few light snores, Natsume threw a leg over one of hers and she'd jolted awake before digging her elbow into his ribs. He must be a masochist because the pain almost made him smile. "Stop _touching _me, Hyuuga. I won't be held accountable for my actions if your fat foot nudges me one more time."

"Or what?" he countered saucily. "Are you going to ravish me?"

Instead of being indignant, she rolled over and trapped him underneath her. A curtain of her hair tickled his face and then she whispered huskily, "If you don't stop _touching _me, I'm going to remove your happy boy and throw him into the sewer. There are _many _wonders to my Alices. Goodnight."

And then she rolled off and snuggled into the sheets on her end of the bed.

Apparently Mikan had forgotten girls with diabolical plans turned him on.

* * *

_My Hopeless Romantic_


	8. Seventh Jolt to Reality

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Gakuen Alice and I most likely never will.

* * *

**The Devil's Contract**

_If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried.  
-Anonymous_

_Chapter 8. Seventh __Jolt to Reality_

_-;-_

When Mikan woke with a jolt, it was to find herself in the arms of one Natsume Hyuuga.

Some time in the night, they'd managed to tangle their legs together and her head had found itself resting on one of Natsume's arms and one hand was grasping at his wrinkled silk shirt. His blazer had been thrown onto one of the plastic chairs the night before and though it couldn't have been many hours after they'd gone to bed, Mikan felt her joints singing with rapture after the hectic day they'd had a mere handful of hours earlier.

Her mind still groggy, Mikan laid still and felt Natsume's warm breath blowing into her hair.

The boy was out cold.

Without moving more than she had to, Mikan swiped the sleep still stuck in the corners of her eyes and looked at the man sleeping next to her. As much as it pained her to say, Natsume was still as handsome as when they'd separated, three years ago.

For the past few weeks, she hadn't let herself look at him too closely because by God, any girl would swoon at the sight of him. Though he'd never really paid attention to the advances of a female before, this new and improved Natsume emitted a sort of playboy feel to him, like her old Tono-senpai and something about it just didn't sit right in her gut.

If Mikan were being totally honest, she wasn't quite over him. She believed that somewhere beneath the haughty exterior and degrading jabs, there was still that hint of Natsume she really used to care about. He'd kissed her that one night, after all. At the time, she hadn't really been able to process it all and after Hotaru's water broke and all, the last thing she cared to think about was her love life, or the lack thereof.

But here they were, waiting outside Hotaru's operating room as doctors bustled around inside and said lowly, "Your contractions are still seven minutes apart, Miss. Imai. I'm afraid you still have a couple of hours left to go," and he was sleeping and unaware. She could look at him _now_ after everything, she thought.

The one thing Natsume had that she'd always been envious about were his eyelashes. His eyelashes were the prettiest. They were long and thick and impossibly dark against his smooth, pale skin. They looked like God had paid extra care in crafting each and every lash to perfection. Just a flutter of his eyelashes would reveal deep crimson eyes. She'd never been able to resist his eyes up close like this.

His eyebrows were dark and long, emphasizing his magnificent bone structure and the aristocratic forehead all Hyuugas were rumored to have. His cheekbones were high and cheeks slightly hollow to give him a chiseled look that the shadows loved to play around. He had a sloping neck and powerful shoulders that rose slightly along with his chest when he breathed.

His hair was falling over his forehead, dark and silky. It was thick and soft and when illuminated by just the right amount of light, appeared blue. It was longer than she'd originally remembered it to be, but the look worked well for him. She could, at least, give him that. His lips were pink and thin, not appealing like those male models around Europe with pouty, luscious lips. Natsume had lips that were thin and pale pink, slightly parted but full of character. With his mouth relaxed like this, it almost looked like he was smiling faintly.

She barely ever saw him smile, nowadays. Just a shadow of his regular smile and even _this _was making her heart pound in her chest. There were plenty of cases where he smirked or sneered but they could never compare to a smile: something natural and warm.

But of course, he stirred five seconds later, smirked sleepily and said, "You're remembering just how damn good looking I am, aren't you? I never pinned you for the type of woman to prey on sleeping males but I won't lie, I kinda like it."

Mikan had all but thrown herself onto the other side of the bed and snapped, "You _wish_, Hyuuga. Sometimes I wonder how your organs can possibly stand to keep you alive when you're so insufferable!"

He chuckled sleepily and ran a hand across his eyes, stifling a yawn. "Are you embarrassed, Polka Dots? In denial? You know as well as I do that this body is sinfully attractive. If you're able to admit that, I'm sure we could be friends."He smirked again when she reddened with fiery anger. "Oh, don't blow a blood vessel, Polka Dots. I'm just teasing you."

She couldn't let it go, however. Instead, she hissed darkly, "Let's get this straight, Hyuuga. I don't want you nor will I ever want you. In fact, I think you've been mistaking my repulsion for attraction. Please get your eyes and brain checked out while you're here because it would take a freakin' moron to think you attractive!"

They both knew she was lying and consequently calling herself a moron. It was after she caught her breath and glared at him did she see his eyes flash with amusement before a sadistic smile spread across his lips that looked more sneer than smile.

"Polka Dots, it seems you've forgotten there's a fine line between love and hate. I think we can _both _tell you still love me."

She almost wanted to slap him in the face and not two seconds later, she found herself beneath him in a compromising position, his hands holding each of her wrists down and her legs trapped between his. His eyes were flashing with anger and it looked like it was taking all he had not to crush her into a bloody pulp.

Anger and something else. She lay there wondering just what it was that was so enchanting in the way his eyes were staring intently in hers. After what was probably only five seconds, Natsume closed his eyes and exhaled slowly, shaking his head and tightening his grasp. Without loosening his hold, he leaned his forehead against hers and sighed.

Mikan's heart was stuttering in her chest. "Let go of me, Hyuuga. Please."

He stiffened slightly, but didn't open his eyes. Instead, his jaw tightened and he growled, "Polka Dots, stop calling me that. You know how much I don't like it."

Mikan struggled slightly before entertaining the idea of kicking him in the nards. "I can call you whatever I damn well please, you pisswad."

His scowl deepened and he finally opened his eyes. Red against brown, colors that clashed but worked well for them. He looked like he was trying to stop himself from furthering his, but against his better judgment, he leaned into her and brushed his lips against her ear. "Let me remember. Say it just once."

It was a plea, not a demand.

But despite this, Mikan refused to give in. If he thought that after all of the shit he put her through, she'd just succumb to his little puppy dog voice and wounded expressions, he had another damn thing coming. Contrary to popular belief, she was no push-over and didn't sway with just a pretty face. Natsume had always gotten what he wanted. This time, he'd have to _beg_.

So Mikan stilled and refused to speak, nor look at him.

"Say it, please." This was Natsume Hyuuga begging. Mikan didn't want to give in too early in the game. And this was a game, as much as she'd like it not to be. But this back and forth cat and mouse game was something almost second nature to them now. Who would be the one to crumble? Who would be the one to crack under the pressure? Who would be swayed and who would be duped? Who had the upper hand? Who was the _loser_?

Mikan had always thought she'd gotten the shorter end of the stick.

"Unhand me."

He refused to budge. Instead, his voice was gruff when he whispered, "I will if you kiss me."

"You don't have a right to make ultimatums. Now let me _go_."

He chuckled against her skin. Mikan could feel the heat rushing up her neck and into her cheeks just watching his lips come closer to hers. She closed her eyes and sucked in a tight breath. The words left her mouth before she could stop them, "If you don't let me go, I'm going to—"

"Sue me," he muttered offhandedly, chuckling against her skin once more. Soft lips pressed against her forehead. "See if I care."

"Be careful what you ask for," she hissed, pressing the back of her head into the bed. "Sexual harassment isn't to be taken lightly. I might just take you up on your suggestion."

"I don't believe you."

She gaped openly at him and struggled against his grip. He didn't budge and she quickly found her situation hopeless. Mikan glared up at him with an expression she hoped to be akin to hatred. "Goody for me. I can't see your face in court." He said nothing, only running a hand down her side with the lightest of touches. "This is wrong. You're my boss and I'm your employee. You can't kiss me."

"Consider yourself fired, Polka Dots. Problem solved."

"I've spent a good two and a half weeks working my _ass _off on my collection and I'll be damned if you take this away from me now!"

"Then consider yourself rehired."

"You're making this difficult." Mikan shrugged her shoulders, trying to loosen a foot from his hold to kick him where it hurt. "Let me go. Don't you _dare _kiss me."

"You've never had a problem with this before," he muttered sullenly in her ear. And at that, Mikan thrashed against him with renewed vigor. "Because I never quite found out about that big part of you that's a low-down _bastard_ until it was too late!"

He sobered up and loosened his grip on her wrists before saying in a quiet voice, "I told you I had a reason for doing what I did. You've just never been smart enough to not ask questions."

"Your _reasons _were probably stupid if you don't have the guts to tell me about them! What could've been so important that you flippin'—_ugh!_ I don't want to talk about this with you. That part of us is over and done with! We're not the same people anymore!"

"You'd never understand," he said quietly.

"Only because you never gave me the chance, jerk. Now let me go before I scream."

His grip tightened and his expression was stubborn. "I want my kiss."

"Kiss me and I'll sue your ass before you can say, 'Uncle.'"

He laughed condescendingly before he looked at her with dark eyes. "Does this face look like it cares, Sakura? Because it doesn't. Money is a small price to pay for…" he sighed, "—just trust me. It's a small price to pay."

Then he kissed her, full on the lips and without a hint of hesitation. He was gentle but firm and as stupid as it may sound, it felt like what those ridiculous romance movie and novels said it would. Their lips—fit. They fit like missing puzzle pieces finally joined together and he was so _warm._ Oh God, he was warm.

He had a tendency to brush his fingers against her cheeks with feather-like touches. She could even feel the eyelashes she'd taken to admiring earlier caressing her cheeks, soft and brief. Just like this would be.

Mikan knew she shouldn't have enjoyed it as much as she did, because it was wrong—in more ways than just the boss slash employee situation—but she sighed into the kiss and let the memories flood back to the days where everything was better, when she didn't have a worry in the world.

To a time when he was still hers and they were each other's.

She didn't notice her hands clutching at his shirt or the way his hand had snaked its way around her back until he broke away for air.

And by then, she was resolved and determined. She would not give him the satisfaction, no matter how many times his lips probed at hers and urged her to respond.

He groaned softly and rested his forehead on hers. He was breathless, almost as bad as she was.

"Satisfied? Now get your damn hands off me. You'll be in for the ride of your life."

"What?" Natsume scoffed. "You're still going on about suing me? Shall I prepare a judge?" His voice was sarcastic and bitter. "Don't kid yourself, Polka Dots. You're nothing like Imai or me."

"Oh, and I bet you're going to regret saying that the minute Hotaru is up and about with her baby because there's a court order with our names on it."

He looked at her as a strange expression passed over his face before he shook his head and chuckled. She didn't have to levitate him against the wall because he slowly extracted himself from on top of her. Grabbing his blazer, he headed out. Before turning the corner, he left with eight words lingering in the air.

"I forgot how much I loved our kisses."

_-;-_

He returned two hours later when she'd mechanically called him to say Hotaru was at her second stage of labor and would be having the baby in mere minutes. He'd looked at her, smiling wryly before sitting in one of the seats with a clean suit to replace his wrinkled one from the other day and a fresher, cleaner looking face.

She stood by the operating room doors to be in the room the second the baby was out.

Neither one said a word to the other.

The next half an hour was a blur of activity. Koko and the gang had been called down as well and they'd all began filing into the hallway, whispering and asking about Hotaru before a low voice from inside the room murmured, "Congratulations. You have a baby boy."

The second after, Mikan and Natsume were pushed into the room, being named godmother and godfather respectively. Mikan could've sworn she'd have appreciated the moment more if she hadn't looked over to smile at Ruka, only to find Natsume looking at her. Her spirits dampened until the baby was placed into her arms and she cooed and rocked him back and forth, admiring the dark slivers of dark hair on its head.

Hotaru took him back into her arms and murmured, "We'll name him Haori."

Then she'd fallen asleep and Mikan had accepted Sumire's invitation for a morning brunch. She tossed her pancakes around moodily, adding the occasional nod and _mhm _when appropriate and soon, Sumire was throwing up her hands and Anna had added about three handfuls of sugar in her coffee.

"What is _wrong_ with you, Mikan? You've been in your little bubble of doom all morning! If you're having one of those 'oh my god, Hotaru's growing up without me! What am I going to do?!' moments, I'm honestly going to smack you in the face and pull your intestines from your nose," Sumire snapped ominously. "Now drink your tea. No use in putting that to waste."

Anna was far gentler. "She's right, Mikan. Hotaru's just had a _boy_. It's a time of happiness! Not for…" She waved at Mikan's general area and wrinkled her nose. "—that. Which reminds me, you probably haven't showered yet, right?"

"Showering can wait," Sumire cut in. "What's really important is what the heck is going on with you and Natsume. I mean, despite the dozens of people waiting for the go-ahead to check out Hotaru's babe, there was this massive elephant in the hallway in the form of your sexual tension. I could smell it from a mile away." She raised an eyebrow and scanned her green eyes over Mikan's face. "Okay, it's official. Something big happened. Spill all of it."

Anna looked confused but sipped her coffee and nodded.

With a sigh, Mikan dropped her fork and leaned back in her seat with an exasperated sigh. "Honestly? The kid is driving me absolutely insane."

"What's new?" Sumire rolled her eyes.

Mikan sent her a pointed look before waving away the thought. "You guys don't get it, this is what happened. It started when Hotaru asked me to come with her to 'spy' on your date with Koko at the theme park…"

After an hour of recounting events, Mikan sat back and rubbed a hand over her eyes. "And to top it all off, I've had like… four hours of sleep and smell like a mixture between sugar and vomit. Yippee."

"You're not actually going to sue him, are you?" Anna bit her lip, putting a slice of coffee cake in her mouth. "Because that's kind of drastic for a little peck on the lips."

Sumire cut off anything else Anna had been ready to say by putting a hand on top of Mikan's resting on the table. "Of course when Mikan says he kissed me, she _really _means he groped her a bit and they had the hottest mack of their lives."

Anna looked amused.

Sumire was serious.

Mikan merely flushed and replied, "It wasn't the _hottest_."

-;-

Two short days later, filled with working and visiting Hotaru with the baby, found Mikan and Natsume in one of the courthouses that owed Natsume a 'favor'. According to Natsume, no jury was needed. No lawyers were needed. All they _needed_ was a judge, a bailiff—which was probably just for looks—and themselves.

Despite the nerves and the guilt and the utter ridiculousness of it all, Mikan played her part and pled her case against him. She would've thought that the judge would've favored Natsume over her but he was just sitting in his 'defendant's' chair with an amused smile on his face and silence on his part. He wasn't even putting up a fight!

He had to be up to _something _to not deem it appropriate to put up an argument for himself. And that _look _on his face was just _unnerving. _

When she finished and sat down, the judge nodded, noting something in his book before looking at Natsume. "Mr. Hyuuga. You've heard the charges that have been laid against you by the Miss. Sakura. Have you anything to say in your defense to counter these accusations?"

He looked up, then, slightly surprised before annoyance flitted over his face. "What was that?" he grunted.

The judge, looking highly affronted, cleared his throat and repeated, "Do you have anything to say in your defense against the charges that have been laid against you?"

Natsume waved his hand and if anything, that pissed her off even more. "I really don't care," Natsume replied, bored. "She can have whatever the hell she wants. What do I owe?" He shot her a cool smirk before pulling out his cheque book and waving it in her face.

_He'd planned this all along!_

The judge, who looked slightly confused looked down at his podium. "This is quite a sum of money for a summary charge such as this, but she's asked for one hundred thousand dollars. Debate on this kind of penalty may be deliberated, however—"

With another wave of his hand, Natsume opened his little book and wrote swiftly. He looked up twice and murmured, "I really didn't think you had it in you," he admitted. "I thought you'd be all bark and no bite but let's say I'm pleasantly surprised." He smirked and signed his name fluidly before tearing off the cheque and handing it to the bailiff who brought it to the judge. "I'm impressed you asked for one hundred thousand though. It's ballsy." He raised and eyebrow and muttered, "My type of girl."

The judge cleared the cheque and the bailiff handed it to her. She stared at it as if in a daze.

The judge cleared his throat. "Well, case dismissed."

Mikan looked up at Natsume and he merely smirked in return. He was still standing there when she was one step outside the room. Gathering her courage, she turned around and lifted up her chin, refusing to look away from the eyes she'd known were watching her. "I told you I'd sue you if you kissed me. I bet you regret it now, don't you?"

Instead of anger, instead of hurt, his eyes were sparkling with amusement. "On the contrary, Sakura, I find it absolutely sexy."

He brushed past her.

For the second time in two encounters, he'd left her speechless.

-;-

The door frame shook dangerously on its hinges as Mikan stormed through her apartment and into her bedroom. How was it that she'd become so…angry?

Her sharp brown eyes flashed dangerously as she scanned her closet for a comfortable pair of pajamas and when she found it, she stormed right into the bathroom and slammed it like Natsume's face was on the other side.

_Damn _him.

She allowed the hot water to trickle down her skin from the showerhead and let the warmth soothe the aches and tension of her muscles. Oddly enough, it didn't make her feel any better. She tried anything and everything she could think of to keep him out of her mind, but to no avail.

The shower hadn't been able to calm her nerves. Work in her studio hadn't been able to take her thoughts to a better place. Eating gave her more leeway to think of what the hell she'd just done and sleeping was impossible. She had a week and a half and more than half of her collection unfinished.

But the idea of finishing had never looked so promising. _The sooner she finished, after all, the sooner she'd be rid of __him._

With that thought in her mind, her hands worked like they'd never had before. Her hands were eager and relentless. Despite the aches and the creaking of her joints, she persisted throughout the night and well into the morning. She _refused _to let him get the best of her. Slowly, the sketches posted onto her bulletin board were torn off and laid in front of her eyes for inspection. She had more than thirty-four pieces to complete and only twelve days to finish them.

Expertly reaching for a silky black material, she got a white piece of chalk and deftly traced a rough outline of the material for a skirt with a hem that flowed simply. Her clothes weren't very big on design but played more on the natural bold colors of some fabrics and played with solids and their ability to blend easily with others.

With her Alice, she cut out the form and moved it swiftly to one of the three workbenches in her room. In no time, fabrics were being levitated in the air as invisible hands cut and measured them. Mikan, all the while, was hunched over her desk and tapping the pedal of the sewing machine methodically, as if she were in a daze.

She was in the process of adjoining twin gems onto one of her skirts when the sound of _Pictures of You _sent her on her feet looking wildly around the room. The sound had jerked her out of her reverie and almost given her a heart attack. Mikan groaned and riffled through the piles of stray fabric pieces littering the floor.

Finally finding the damn thing, Mikan punched the answer button and said breathlessly, "Hello?"

"_Did I catch you at a bad time?" _Ruka chuckled boyishly.

Mikan shook her head and smiled wryly. "Hi, _dad_. I think you hang out with that perverted best friend of yours too much."

"_Ah, that's right, isn't it? I'm a father now. You should hear all of the scandalized people saying how horrible it is that Hotaru's had a baby out of wedlock. I told her I'd marry her before the baby was out but she said that whole thing about not needing a marriage certificate to know that she was all mine and who the hell would I be to say something against that, right?" _

"Ruka, you're rambling," Mikan said dryly, putting her phone on speaker so that she could continue with her pieces.

"_Right. Well, Hotaru's calling for you to stay over for the night. Are you doing anything right now?"_

Mikan slumped over, itching to just drop everything and head over to her best friend's house but the words that had spurred her on not three hours ago were still fresh in her mind.

_The sooner she finished, after all, the sooner she'd be rid of __him._

"I _wish_. I'm actually working right now and I can't really afford to go over tonight. I'm on a roll and I've been over for the last two days."

From the other side, Ruka relayed the message and soon, Hotaru was on the other end. _"I honestly have no idea what the hell I'm doing. The kid won't stop crying."_

A grin bloomed on her lips. "Send him the waves of your feminine wiles, Hotaru. That got Ruka to stop crying," Mikan laughed, doubling over when Ruka shouted from the back, _"I can hear you because it's on speakerphone, Mikan!"_

"_You can't come over?"_ Hotaru deadpanned.

"Is it life or death or can I come over tomorrow night?"

There was a pause before she replied, _"You'd better hope that I'm alive then. I'll see you tomorrow."_

"Bye." Mikan flipped her phone shut and breathed a sigh of relief. She leaned her head back and looked up at the ceiling, hoping that in some way, she would be able to dispel the thoughts of what had happened that morning. The butterflies in her stomach were already churning unpleasantly.

She shuddered at her thoughts and from the bottom of her table drawers, she produced a rectangular piece of paper.

It was the cheque, still new and crisp from where he'd torn it from his book. She fiddled with the edges before tossing it back into her drawer and lying on the floor, briefly wondering what in the heck was wrong with him when he refused to fight her in the courtroom. It was _one hundred thousand dollars, _for God's sake!

"_On the contrary, Sakura, I find it absolutely sexy." _

She shook her thoughts away from _that _particular subject and tried to think of something else. But right when she was just about to completely smother the thought of him, those two lines that had rendered her speechless drifted across her mind.

And though she'd 'won' to a certain degree, Mikan couldn't help but think this was not the way she wanted to win.

It hurt too much.

* * *

_My Hopeless Romantic_


	9. Eighth Talk and New Starts

**Disclaimer: **I do not own Gakuen Alice and I most likely never will.

* * *

**The Devil's Contract**

_If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried.  
-Anonymous_

_Chapter 9. Eighth Talk and New Starts_

_-;-_

The early hours of a surprisingly beautiful end-of-fall-welcoming-winter morning left traces of a delightful night. The emerald green blades of grass peeked shyly from the small patches of nursed earth, covered in pinpricks of dewdrops, which slid lethargically down each blade. They were patient and they were slow.

Mikan wished everything would just slow the heck down and wait for her brain to catch up on the swirling of activity.

The few clouds crawling lazily across the dawning skies drifted slowly on scene.

Mikan watched them blearily with her eyes half opened and fatigue evident in the dark circles under her eyes. She'd pulled an all-nighter the night before, finishing an earth shattering _nine _pieces in under half a day.

Then yesterday, she'd brought four pieces over to Hotaru's for the night and after taking turns to tend to baby Haori, who'd taken to wailing at the top of his lungs at odd hours in the morning, Mikan had settled into one of the guest rooms and worked. The four pieces were simple enough. One she needed to start and others to finish.

By the time the day was over, she'd finished thirteen pieces in two days. Admittedly, most of them had already been half completed but they were thirteen pieces finished nonetheless and that meant she had a mere twenty one pieces to finish in eleven days.

At this rate, she was _definitely _going to finish on time.

Never mind that she was currently breaking her back to do it. The feeling of accomplishment was _amazing_. Sleep was the last thing on her mind.

Yawning, Mikan looked around her studio, remarking mildly that it looked like a hurricane had played her room for a good five seconds. The metallic arms dotting one wall were laden with an assortment of fabrics, finished scarves, scrapped fabric and accessories. The three expensive-looking chrome benches in the room were in the same state, piled with scraps of fabric here and there with a few needles peeking mischievously from underneath. Loose pieces of ripped loose leaf paper filled with multiple designs and rough sketches of attire were scattered on tables, near sewing machines, underneath piles of clothes, hiding under a cotton sheet or lying innocently under the close inspection of a pin cushion, stabbed with needles and pins.

But despite the mess that was her studio, there stood thirty-nine, fashionably clad mannequins wearing ensembles. All of their clothes were in different shapes, forms, colors, for different occasions and serving different purposes. Lining the middle of the room, the mannequins stood casually in their uniquely styled apparel and Mikan couldn't help the sigh of satisfaction.

_Damn she was good._

She yawned.

… _and tired. _

Her stomach roared ominously and Mikan looked at it, stunned, before she snorted. "Wow, I guess I'm hungry," she announced groggily. She slowly trudged towards the bathroom and after relieving herself, she dragged her feet towards the kitchen with her eyelids covering her eyes halfway.

Grabbing the refrigerator handle with the strength of a sloth, Mikan groped blindly, searching for the familiar container of juice. Maneuvering around the little island in the middle of her kitchen, she grabbed a mug from the cupboard with the swiftness of a pro and drained the juice into the cup before raising it to her lips.

"GOOD MORNING!!"

She spluttered awake, juice spewing from her mouth onto the dirtied counter, a hand flying to her chest in surprise before she caught sight of an amused Anna Umenomiya. She had her apron tied and was languidly stirring a bowl of batter, nodding her head at the dozens of scones currently cooling on one of her cooling racks. "Go ahead and have one."

Mikan didn't move. Instead, she opted to sputter, "Wh-what? Where the hell did _you _come from?!"

Anna rolled her eyes and grabbed a paper towel, mopping up the puddle of juice that had come out of Mikan's mouth. "Well, you're an early riser. Not quite the most charming host, but I'll take what I can get."

Spinning on the balls of her feet, Mikan turned the sink's nozzle and dunked her head under the stream of water, gurgling slightly before turning the water off and straightening her spine. "Okay, so I _am_ awake," she muttered under her breath. She sighed and blinked, raising and eyebrow at her guest with a hand on her hip. "Anna. How did you get into my apartment?"

Anna waved her off with a laugh. "The question is," she smirked mischievously, "—is not how I _got _in here, but how I found it in the first place." And then the girl had guffawed and Mikan wanted to just back away and climb into her bed to pretend this had never happened.

Anna snorted. "Don't look so shocked, Mikan. By the way, Hyuuga should get a better security system. Picking the lock was _far _too easy."

"You picked the lock."

Anna picked up her mixing bowl and continued her expert strokes. She raised an eyebrow, "I see you're not very surprised. Yeah, going out with Kitsuneme for the past three months really gives a girl a few tricks. That boy has a lot up his sleeves."

"Aren't you going to eat breakfast? By the way, I think your kitchen is fab!" Before Mikan could even _think _to sputter a response, the deep grumble at the pit of her stomach made itself present once more. Anna snapped her fingers and pointed at the stool by the counter. Obediently, she sat as Anna prepared a simple bagel with a spread of butter on one side and cream cheese on the other. A series of different toasts rested at the side with a cup of safe green tea.

As she lifted her bagel closer to her lips, the shrill ring of the phone disrupted her hand-eye coordination and she managed to jab herself hard in the cheek with the cream cheese and smeared the fat all over her pores. Muttering low oaths under her breath, she stumbled clumsily towards the phone.

"Hello?"

"_Mikan, it's Nobara. Mr. Hyuuga wants to see you in his office right away. Can you make it?" _

Clutching the phone until her knuckles turned white, she stilled her trembling voice before replying faintly, "Yeah. Yes. Of course."

"_It'll be great to see you again before—" _a voice from the other side cut her off and Mikan heard a feminine voice asking, "Miss. Ibaragi, could you tell me if Mr. Hyuga is in?" In a hurry, Nobara muttered, _"Sorry, Mikan. Duty calls. I'll see you when you get in."_

"Okay."

Nobara's end of the line clicked to a close and Mikan did the same in a daze.

Anna waved a hand in front of her eyes not two seconds later. "Hey, you okay? You've been standing like that for a good five minutes. Who was that?"

She turned her eyes towards the pink haired girl, not actually seeing, because all she was aware of was the smooth, velvety voice of a female asking, _"Miss. Ibaragi, could you tell me if Mr. Hyuuga is in…"_

She remembered Anna grabbing her by the shoulders and asking her something before her vision darkened and she completely blacked out.

-;-

A series of rambunctious knocks echoed loudly throughout the gigantic Hyuuga Corporation's building. The kind of knocks that could be heard several floors down and across the nearby streets. The kind of knocks that rattled every thought in one's mind and reverberated from the tips of one's feet, to the unsettling beats of one's heart.

The kind of knocks that annoyed the hell out of a person.

Everyone knew of these kinds of knocks and in the back of one Hyuuga's mind, the thought of obliterating the people causing these kinds of knocks were quickly tempting him. But he knew he'd never make it out alive or at least, without being thrown behind the slammer for life.

_Why was security not doing its damn job? What the hell did he pay them for?_

Running a hand through his hair, Natsume rubbed at his temples and relished the minute silence and the ease of his tension. Three more resounding knocks had his teeth jarring and his teeth chattering. His bones were weary and his eyelids had been threatening to slip to a close. He hadn't been sleeping well at all, and it could all be blamed on one, Mikan Sakura.

He'd always known the girl would drive him bonkers. He just hadn't realized it'd be at the ripe age of twenty two.

He had called a meeting with Mikan straight away and according to his secretary, she was due to come in an hour ago but there she was, or rather wasn't. She hadn't shown up. She hadn't spoken to him since they had last encountered at the courthouse two days ago and she had yet to answer any of his calls. According to Ruka and Imai, however, she was alive and well. She'd even made it a point to sleepover and help out with that baby for God's sake.

If Natsume had known practically jumping on her would get him the silent treatment, he wouldn't have done it. He snorted and chuckled bitterly. Yeah, right. He wouldn't have regretted that kiss if his life was on the line. It was _that _good. He did, however, slam a fist against his desk with frustration. Honestly, sometimes it was so frustrating to have her unlike his fangirls.

He had always known that Mikan was a forgiving and gentle soul, though he would never admit it. And he knew that his decisions in the past were so wrong that even he, himself, wouldn't forgive him for it.

So why on Earth would she?

Oh, how life could be so cruel to those that deserve it.

The incessant knocking was growing louder and louder. But for a period of minutes, silence ensued. Surely Sumire's old fan club had ceased their house arrest. This was insane. Maybe the security finally did its damn job. His hopes were dashed when the knocking resumed two minutes later.

_Damn, they were persistent. _

As soon as they'd resumed, they'd ceased once more and he was plunged into an eerie silence. What had just happened? Did the fan club finally decide to bug Ruka instead? Oh God, he hoped that they did so he could hear about Imai's tremendous feat of ridding the world of crazy fan followers.

_What the hell is going on here? _An unfamiliar female voice screeched. There was a rush of murmurs before a loud voice answered, _Umenomiya – baker are you doing here? _

_I'm here to see that disgusting Hyuuga, as I'm sure you are too._

The knocking started again and he swore loudly. They were going to break the damn door down!

_Anna, what's going on? _

He knew that voice…

_Okay__, listen girls. I really don't care what you decide to do in your spare time, but I have a meeting with Hyuuga that I'm late for and I'd be delighted to let you continue this as soon as I'm done. _

The answering flurry of feminine outrage followed and Natsume was sincerely worried for Mikan's health when one voice said something along the lines of not taking orders from anybody when it came to their _Natsume!_

Natsume almost vomited on himself.

She sighed. _I really don't have time to argue with you. I need to see Hyuuga and I need to see him today. The sooner you let me get through, the sooner you can go back to badgering the hell out of him._

The Cooking Alice could be heard among the throng of female voices muttering their outrage. _Mikan, just do it. She's not going to listen to you and I'm tired of this useless banter back and forth. The sooner you deal with these people, the earlier you can finish with Hyuuga's meeting._

A low mutter and a shuffling of feet were heard but the words that followed were muffled.

Natsume chuckled quietly and before he knew it, Mikan had burst through the door with a fierce expression on her face and her cheeks were blooming an admirable shade of red that even his eyes could not achieve.

"I'll be back at your place with cooking! Hurry up and good luck!" Anna all but squealed.

She slammed the doors shut with a force that surprised even Mikan and Natsume quirked an eyebrow at her while she stood in the corner of his office, trying to collect her thoughts and control her temper.

When she finally cooled down, she turned to fix a cool gaze on him.

After the whole fiasco outside his office, she still had the calm to ask, "What is it you want from me, Hyuuga? This is really the last place I want to be right now."

He just looked at her, surprised she was even here. She looked radiant. Her tousled honey brown tresses were tied in a loose bun at the back of her head and lonely strands of hair that escaped the bun framed her face in a way that made his stomach roil with nerves. She looked beautiful just like this with her hands at her hips and a no nonsense stance to her shoulders.

He tried to force back his smile.

She scowled at him in response. Her eyebrows were knitted and her eyes were narrowed slightly. "Well? Do you have a point to this meeting or am I just wasting my valuable time?"

He just stared at her pointedly, no certain expression on his face. Her eyes narrowed again and she growled lightly under her breath. They just looked at each other. Or more exactly, she was glaring daggers at him. As she made to leave, quick as lightening, he grabbed a hold of her wrist and tugged her away from the door.

"We are _so _not going through this again, Hyuuga. Seriously. Let go of me this instant."

He looked at her silently and she struggled against his grasp. Finally, he let her go and asked, "Why are you so angry?"

"I think I have the _right _to be angry anytime I see fit," Mikan replied coolly, if not crustily. The corners of his lips twitched again and Mikan's eyes flashed with anger. "Look. I'm as tired of being mad and irritated as you are, so could you make my life a _little_ bit easier by not being such an ass all the time? Yeah? Thanks." She ignored the look on his face and crossed her arms. "Just tell me what this meeting is about so that I can get the hell out of here, Hyuuga."

He eyed her with the same weariness as she had displayed and pulled her surprised form into his chest. A grin bloomed onto his face when she shrieked. "I thought, by now, you'd have learned your lesson. Call me by my name."

She made a move to protest and then thought better of it. Warily, she stopped struggling and sighed. "Please," she said quietly. "I've had enough."

All playfulness fled from his face. Instead, he kept his tone clipped and unyielding. "Say what I want to hear."

He didn't like the double meaning of her words.

She sighed in defeat. "Natsume, please."

He sighed again, unhappy that she'd given up so quickly. "What, are you sick?" He laid a hand on her forehead to find her warm and small.

"I'm not," she said irritably, tugging his hand from her face. "I've just had enough shit for the last few days to last me a lifetime. I want to go home and flippin' rest for a while, ok? Now what's this meeting about? I know I'm not here to get felt up."

"It can if you want it to be," Natsume said smoothly, letting her go when she struggled anew. He sighed lazily with a grim expression on his face. Oh, how he missed the olden days when things like this were less complicated. Pushing the thought back momentarily, he replied all business, "The models are going to need to try on your clothes before the show. There's just a bit more than a week left before the show. Are you close to finishing?"

She was glowing, whether from anger or what, he couldn't quite tell.

Before he could dwell on it any further, she frowned and asked, "Why couldn't you just call me on my phone or did that annoying intercom thing instead of getting me to come down here? Do you know what kind of hell is lying in wake behind that flippin' door?" She stomped her foot to display how angry she was but Natsume ignored it.

"I wanted to see you," Natsume shrugged.

She fought the blush rather well and growled, swearing under her breath.

She was still hot and tired from passing out earlier and _this _was not making matters any better. By God, if he was going to be this childish for the next week, she'd kill him with her own bare hands if she had to.

Damn him.

Instead of angry words, however, they turned out soft and weary. She was too tired to muster up enough anger to beat him to a pulp. "I swear, what have I done that's so wrong that you have to play with me like this, Natsume? Really." Her bottom lip quivered and she bit into it before clenching her fists. "Why are you torturing me?"

Without another word, she was gone in the blink of an eye, leaving a spot where her tear had fallen down on his carpet. He looked at the spot warily and back towards his office doors but she hadn't bothered using the door. She'd teleported the hell out of there.

He felt that empty hole in his stomach grow and he growled in frustration. He was used to the feeling of this though. The guilt he had carried for years had gnawed him from the inside out until he was numb.

Now it had come back anew.

"_Why are you torturing me?"_

Why indeed?

-;-

Walking into her apartment, with no particular expression on her face, Mikan moved zombie-like into her apartment, ignoring Anna's welcome as she trudged into her studio. The place looked like a hurricane had hit it and she wondered what would have been if she hadn't accepted this job.

Why was she torturing herself like this?

Maybe it was because a part of her wanted things to go back to the way everything had been before the rising of the Alice War. And maybe she wanted so desperately to forgive Natsume for what he'd done to her.

Maybe, maybe.

All she knew was that she didn't know for certain.

Mikan, still in a daze, walked blindly around her studio and watched as her Alices went to work with bits of fabric she'd never be able to use. She'd prepared two large garbage bins and had begun riffling through the pile of clothes on the floor, sifting through every piece and throwing out what was too small to use and scraps of nonsense she wouldn't be able to work with.

What she needed was a fresh start, a new slate. This room was absolutely depressing her.

The room was a blur of movement as lonely needles jumped neatly into their specialized containers, pins were jabbing into their respective pin cushions and loose pieces of thread and too small pieces of scrap fabric were launched into the garbage can. Spools of thread, several pairs of scissors and pencils neatly organized themselves in drawers or on her desk and sketches of her designs flew back onto her large cork board and held down by pins and nails.

She watched as the extra pieces of fabric were laid neatly on the metallic arms protruding from the walls and the whiz of the clothes around her room began to give her a headache.

As soon as everything was presentable, she exited the room and headed towards the kitchen where Anna had laid out a number of delicious pastries. Her pink hair put up in a high ponytail with wisps of hair falling before her eyes and an apron was tied precariously around her frame.

She asked her why she was making so much food.

"I invited Sumire and Nonoko over, but Nonoko couldn't get out on such short notice. Sumire's coming though. I figured you needed it as soon as you dragged your sorry ass in her looking like you'd just kicked a baby and then eaten it."

Mikan groaned quietly under her breath, hoping that the universe would stop torturing her and start revolving in her favor.

* * *

_My Hopeless Romantic _


	10. Ninth False Promise

**Disclaimer: **I credit all familiar characters to Tachibana Higuchi. Everything else is mine.

* * *

**The Devil's Contract**

_If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried.  
-Anonymous_

_Chapter 10. Ninth False Promise_

_-;-_

When Mikan looked at the sky, blowing cool puffs of grey into the air, she felt a wave of sadness wash over her. The sky was desolate and bleak, dark grey on what should've been a sunny afternoon, cold when it should've been spreading warmth around the Academy.

They needed that warmth more than ever now. They needed the hope that came with a breaking sun and the comfort that came with its soothing rays. At the moment, it was drizzling. The constant stream of light rain was blurring the surrounding trees and bushes until they were mere blotches of color against a forsaken canvas of what used to be a haven.

Mikan drew in a tight breath of fresh air, letting her lungs expand until they almost ached. Then she readied her pink and white pin-striped umbrella and kicked at the puddles dotting the ground.

Today was going to be a good day.

She could feel it.

She could only wish Sumire and Anna would accompany her today. They'd shared not-so-secret looks amongst each other when she'd asked them to come on a walk with her and Natsume. Then proceeded to make up the most obscene excuses she'd ever heard.

Mikan wasn't angry though. In fact, she smiled at their antics and said that _yes_, she wouldn't let her guard down and _no, _of course she'd be careful. They were right to worry. Times were dreary, and had been dreary for the past few _months_, in fact. But in light of a short reprieve, she'd wanted to take a break from all of the hubbub and spend it with those she cared for.

She saw Natsume heading her way with his black head slightly bent to keep the rain from his eyes. But had looked up with a small grin on his face when she'd splashed her way over, throwing the umbrella over the both of their heads.

"You're soaking wet, Natsume!"

He looked at her with a deadpan expression on his face. "I had no idea," he rolled his eyes, shaking his hair slightly to flick some wetness to prevent him from catching a cold. "It'll dry pretty fast," he reassured her, throwing an arm around her waist and tugging her close. "Fire Alice, remember?"

She merely grinned and hummed, tucking herself securely into his side. They began walking around the school grounds, heads turned in to talk to each other, even though there was no one else around to listen in.

It was early winter.

Alice Academy school grounds were strangely quiet. No trace of happy students, bounding and playing under Mother Nature's watering pot. No buses or voices around the usually busy Central Town market where, once upon a time, students and teachers alike would spend their free time roaming the stands and shops.

But no stores were open at present.

There was no life on the Academy grounds.

Nobody had been able to predict the onslaught of meticulous attacks that had been raging against the doors of the Academy. Mikan had had six blissful years to share with her friends and family before all of this began. She hadn't seen it coming.

No one had.

The outside world had been banned from students for several weeks now. Mikan would've thought there'd be an uproar of indignation among her peers, but Wakako Usami from their year and someone named Megumi Asaki from the elementary school branch had been found murdered by the school gates and that alone had the students sitting quietly in their classrooms, fear playing a key role in their submission.

Even the folks from Central Town were urged to into the safe confines of the magnificent school for fear of being kidnapped, sold or killed. What had been always been a rather popular school, had now become some kind of a refuge. The place was overflowing with people, sometimes it was even difficult to _breathe _without distracting somebody.

And with tension came a number of disputes and arguments. In such a tightly closed area with hundreds and thousands of people, what would be waved off as petty would be the reason for the constant brawls around the place. If someone accidently misplaced their elbow, there was a fight. If someone dropped something too loudly while curfew was called, there was a fight. If someone _breathed _too loud in class, there was a fight.

Children and teenagers alike weren't meant to be holed up at home without the means of releasing the tension in their over energetic muscles.

But no one dared to venture outside.

To be honest, no one really could.

Why?

The Alice War had commenced and no one was safe.

It had been too big a risk to leave children unsupervised on school grounds where they could run off in all directions and teachers couldn't keep track of three dozens students all wanting to do different things. There wasn't enough protection to give the students while they were running amok.

To make things easier, everyone was to stay inside and after the terrible incident earlier, that took both Ruka and Hotaru, two prominent names from the middle school division, no one dared to question or rebel against the decision. So teachers tried to break up fights and those who worked at Central constantly tried to keep up their spirits, sharing their goods without prompting and telling them they'd _make it. _

It did little good, but what good it _did _do, was nothing short of a miracle.

Mikan had even suggested they hold a bi-weekly Alice Dodgeball tournament and intramural in the big gym when it could be assembled and this helped dramatically. Tension among students had eased into a playful camaraderie for a good two months but nothing could replace fresh air and the rush of adrenaline that came with freedom.

So for those who couldn't venture outside, Mikan vowed to make good use of this day she had to herself and her boyfriend.

"So I asked Sumire and Anna to join us today," Mikan piped up, clutching at his arm to ward off the cold. "They made a half-baked excuse about having to sew up their shoelaces or something."

Natsume snorted but didn't make any further comment.

Mikan plopped down onto one of the benches the Central Town bus collected students and patted the spot gingerly next to her. With a smile, she leaned her head against his shoulder and pulled her gloved hand from her pocket. With a small smile, Natsume twined their hands together and put the both of them on his thighs.

No words were exchanged for a while and no sounds came from the two adolescents except for their synchronized breathing. The gray wisps of breath coming from their mouths danced together in perfect harmony, tangling together with a gracefulness that didn't quite make sense. Then again, no one would've questioned it.

They had always somehow worked, despite all the odds.

She knew Natsume was busy glaring at the tree across from them, but that didn't stop her from exclaiming and pointing their joined hands towards the sky. "Oh my gosh, Natsume! It's snowing!" The snow replaced the rain and small tufts of snow littered the ground like small, drifting clouds. Mikan hummed with delight despite the guilt that ate at her conscience just a little bit, for being one of the privileged to be able to enjoy the delights of the outside world.

Natsume didn't say a word.

"Hey…" Mikan said softly, touching his chin with one of her fingers. "You'll be okay, won't you, Natsume?"

The silent boy beside her, at the ripe age of sixteen, merely grunted in reply. He bent his head slightly, letting his long black bangs cover his eyes. Mikan let the moment pass without stopping to badger him for a more cordial response. She knew how much he hurt. Hell, she was experiencing the pain, too. But unlike him, Mikan refused to think of what was currently happening to their best friends.

She may not have been even _close _to his level of Alice control, but Mikan was one of the few in the middle school division allowed to partake in missions, including rescues missions. Something in her gut told Mikan she'd be the one to save them and to bring their friends back, safe and sound.

She gripped his hand tightly, protective and reassuring. He lifted his hypnotic eyes to meet hers and her heart stuttered at the look of unbridled pain in his eyes.

"Ruka came here so that I wouldn't be alone," he murmured as a way of explanation. His breath hitched and he sighed a stuttering breath before shrugging. "I feel responsible for what happened to him… Imai… all of the others… oh God, Wakako…"

Mikan blanched. "Don't be silly, Natsume! How are _you _the one responsible?"

"I'm the one that's supposed to protect all of you," he snapped darkly. "I'm the one that's supposed to make sure you guys don't see—don't see what's out there. The bad things. You guys haven't seen _anything _that I've seen." He made to let go of her hand, but Mikan refused to give him the satisfaction of feeling like a failure.

"Who gave you that responsibility, huh, Natsume? Who died and named _you _boss? Did we ever ask you to protect us? Have we ever shoved the blame onto you?" Mikan moved his chin with her hand until he was looking back into her face. "C'mon, Natsume. Stop blaming yourself. You're not superman, Natsume. You're not a superhero. You're just a kid."

"I'm a man," he said, slightly offended. "And I've got the Fire," he gave a lazy shrug. "That's good enough."

"Good enough to be a superhero, maybe. But not good enough to take the responsibility for the whole school's safety. It's a good thing that you want to help everybody, to save everybody, but even superheroes need to be saved."

"You got that from a movie," Natsume accused belligerently, hiding the wry grin on his face.

"Doesn't mean it's any less true," she sing songed, kissing him briefly on the cheek. "Don't blame yourself, ok? Or I'm going to start doing it and who knows, knowing me, I'm probably going to jump right in—"

"—and try to play the superhero and apologize for things that aren't your fault and act like the bloody martyr you are, deep inside," Natsume finished for her with a sigh. "Okay, okay. I get it. I'll stop blaming myself."

"Even in your head," Mikan added.

Natsume scowled at her and clenched his jaw. "I can't promise to do anything that my mind does on its own," he said truthfully, leaning against the back of the bench. "But I will tell you this, when we find Ruka and Imai, I'm going to kill the bloody bastards that have been keeping them for all this time. I swear it." Reflexively, he tightened his grip on her hand.

Mikan squeezed back without batting an eyelash.

It was a war, after all. She too had her fair share of blood on her hands. She wasn't scared to kill to protect her family at Alice Academy. Though she'd wanted to do anything but kill them, she'd seen first hand the damaged they'd done and if she wasn't going to make a stand against the force that was hurting those she cared about, she was letting them get away with it and basically saying it was okay to proceed as they'd been proceeding.

She hadn't been alright with that.

Plus… it was their lives or her friends. Or Natsume's. She couldn't let them take him away. They'd gone through too much, forged their way through obstacles and Mikan would be damned before they got their way.

Thinking about a day without him like this made her heart clench fearfully. "We'll find them, Natsume. We have to." She sniffled. "I can't … I honestly can't imagine a life without Hotaru and Ruka-pyon and… oh my god, without _you._" With a patient sigh, Natsume pulled her into his lap and wound his arms around her shoulders. He exhaled softly before resting his chin on her shoulder and began rubbing circles into her back.

"We'll be fine," he promised. "We'll be just fine. Do you really think they could take me down that easily?" She was crying. Hard, too. She could hear the words he was saying and appreciated his attempt at lightening the mood but she felt like she had to cry for them both. Natsume couldn't even if he wanted to. He'd told her once that sometimes he felt like his conflicted thoughts were suffocating him, but despite injury and pain and exhaustion, the tears wouldn't come.

He was immune.

He had grown up too fast. He couldn't even cry for the loss of his best friend. Hotaru, Ruka and a dozen others had been kidnapped before the teachers had banned students from going outside. It had been a month, a long month. Mikan wondered when they'd be given the chance to get them back.

The cold wind whipped her hair around and the collar of her shirt blew up. She shivered quietly in his arms. Feeling the shudder of her frame, Natsume tightened his grip and warmed himself with his Alice.

"Natsume?" she sniffled.

He answered with a low grunt, the sound reassuring to Mikan's ears as she lifted her head away from his chin and looked deep into his eyes. "Will you promise to stay with me?" She blushed abashed, before lifting her chin and saying, unashamed, "Promise me forever with you."

And despite the godforsaken circumstances, the corners of his lips curved upwards into a smile that took her breath away. A low chuckle sounded in his throat. He nudged her in the side playfully. "Wow, Polka Dots. Way to cheese up the moment."

Her cheeks deepened with rouge. "I need this, Natsume. Don't make fun of me!"

He sighed and despite the slight nausea he felt for baring his soul, Natsume uttered genuinely, "I can promise you forever and always, as long as I live."

Her eyes gleamed before she slid her arms languidly around him and pressed a kiss to his warm lips. "We're just a couple of lovesick saps," Mikan noted dryly, laughing.

She jumped away from his lap and landed roughly on her butt with a surprised "oh!" and Natsume had a look torn between utter amusement and pain. His face broke into a grin and he laughed at her from his perch on the bench.

_**SPLAT!**_

The wet slush dripped from his forehead and down the bridge of his nose. He shook off the condensation from his head and swiped the substance from his eyes, all the listening to a hysterical brunette chortling on the ground.

"Little girl, that was cold!" he bellowed, mock furious. In truth, with his Fire Alice, he'd be dry in a minute flat.

"Poor Nat-su-me," she teased, backing away from him mockingly. She eyed the snow ball in his hand, ready to fire, unimpressed. "I'm _terrified_."

"You're going to get it, Strawberries." He slowly advanced, a faint grin on his lips before he chucked the snowball, only to have it blocked by her umbrella. She lifted the umbrella back over her head and smirked. "Is that all you've got, Hyuuga? My, someone's losing their touch." And then she was off like a shot, dragging the umbrella behind her.

She heard a growl from behind her and picked up her pace, the umbrella still in her hands. She cackled with laughter, hearing Natsume's footsteps closing in but unaware of the cocky smirk on his lips.

It was only a mere seconds later that he had tackled her to the ground, onto a pile of never-been-touched snow, the umbrella flying out of her hands to lie on its side in the snow.

"Crap, you're fast," Mikan wheezed, out of breath. "I really have to get to your stage of physical ability. I thought I was actually going fast!" She was breathless. Natsume merely smirked over her, pinning her wrists down triumphantly. "If you'd used that brain of yours, you would've at least closed your umbrella before dragging it after you, Stupid."

She frowned. "Sometimes I hate how smart you are."

"No, it's just because you're incredibly stupid." She screeched indignantly, but he merely cocked an eyebrow. She rolled her eyes. "Let's go back before we break curfew and Narumi-sensei never lets us out again."

"How about, not?"

She stuck her tongue out at him and he arched an eyebrow before eyeing her unimpressed stare. With a sigh, he got off of her and helped her to her feet. They both trudged back to the school, hand in hand.

"Hey Natsume," she whispered, as they neared their Sakura tree.

"Hn."

Instead of elaborating, she put a small hand onto the Sakura tree's trunk and ushered him to come closer. He moved and as soon as he was close enough, she grabbed his hand and gently placed his hand on top of hers. The other she clasped at their side. "I think after every battle and at the end of everyday, we should come to the Sakura tree, just to be together!" she said, squeezing his hand in hers. "We have to remember, because I don't want to waste time looking for you if we both agree to meet here. I… we have to meet here. It's important."

He knew without asking that she wanted an assurance. They'd both make it out alive at the end of all of this. When the war was over and done with, if they weren't at this tree… well it was best not to think of things that might not happen.

"I can promise you _that _too."

She turned her hand over and grasped his hand, taking it away from the tree and they just stood there, holding hands. She dropped his hands to his sides and inched her fingers up his arms, humming, "The itsy bitsy spider went up the water spout…"

She clasped her hands around his neck and on her tippy toes, she kissed him gently on the lips as he slanted his mouth eagerly over hers. She hummed deep in her throat, the vibrations reverberating through his body.

With one last lingering touch of their lips, Mikan sighed and tucked her head in the crook of his neck like she usually did. She hummed lightly again as Natsume hugged her tiny frame close to his.

It was a moment to remember, when they could pretend there was no evil, no worry and no problems in their world.

"Remember, you've already promised me forever, Natsume Hyuuga," Mikan murmured against the skin of his neck. "Don't ever give me the chance to call you a liar."

She knew he thought she was being ridiculous but he humored her and returned, "Hn."

That meant he agreed anyway.

"And when this over and we're out of her, I'll follow my dreams and become a fashion designer. You'll be working as a secret agent, of course. Or better yet, an undercover agent like those guys from the FBI. Something along the lines of a modern day Sherlock Holmes. Mhm…"

"Who said I wanted to do anything involving missions, Stupid Girl," he quirked an eyebrow, taking her hand and tucking it into his pocket. They were making their way back to school when she replied, "Mhm, because I think you wearing a uniform would be sexy."

He snorted, looking at her incredulously. "I'm not even going to _touch _that subject. Let's just say, whatever you or I end up doing, whether you decide to pursue your flair in fashion—which, with your bad taste in panties is a wonder in itself—or not, I'll be there, ok? Let's just make it out of this place alive first."

* * *

_My Hopeless Romantic_


	11. Tenth Breakdown

**Disclaimer: **All of the characters belong to Tachibana Higuchi, who deserves absolute credit for Gakuen Alice. Everything else is mine. :)

**

* * *

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**The Devil's Contract**

_If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried.  
-Anonymous_

_Chapter 11. Tenth Breakdown_

_-;-_

"Get _out_."

Natsume only crossed his arms across his chest and leaned up against the door. "You know what? I don't think I will."

Mikan's eyes hardened. "I'm only going to say this one more _damn _time, Hyuuga. Get the _hell_ out of this room _now_."

The two Alices stood facing one another, their gazes locked intensely upon the other and electricity snapping in the air between them. One was visibly bristling with pent up emotions while the other had his hands balled into tight fists plunged coolly in his pants.

He wasn't fooling anyone.

"You know as well as I do that I don't do things I don't want to," he replied flatly. His eyes moved slowly to Sumire and Anna looking intently from the sofa and in typical Natsume fashion, "What the hell are they doing here?"

Mikan's tousled russet locks crackled with anger and her emotional brown eyes were blazing with frustration as she stomped her dainty foot on the ground to display her obvious distress. "That is _none _of your business! I can have my friends over if I want to. Just because you're my boss, doesn't mean I have to run every detail of my day through you to get your approval. Grow up!" Her hands balled into tight fists, ready to punch the living daylights out of the man before her and every nerve in her entire body was screaming for the release of all of the continuous emotions starting to pile up within her chest.

Anna watched silently from the sidelines, ready to jump into the middle if a fight broke out between the two.

A good five meters away from the other, Mikan and Natsume shuffled their feet restlessly as neither of them dared to utter a word. Natsume knew her well enough to know that one more poke and she would go off her leash and start lashing out like a mad woman. Mikan knew it as well, so instead of saying all of the things rampaging in her chest, she paced in front of the television set, well aware of the pair of crimson eyes following her every move.

It was unnerving.

Finally having enough, Sumire threw up her hands. "Seriously, guys. Can you say exaggeration much? This is so not necessary!"

"Are you kidding me!?" Mikan snapped harshly, whipping her head around. "That _jerk _just used his master key to come into my room! That's an invasion of privacy and who knows what the hell he was here for! What if we weren't here, huh? What was he going to do? God!"

Sumire half-nodded. "Yeah, Natsume… that _is _sort of creepy… you know?"

Natsume rolled his eyes. "Like she'd open the door for me if I'd knocked," Natsume picked invisible lint off his suit. "I knew she'd be in. I just didn't know _you two _would be here."

"Gee, welcome to you, too," Anna deadpanned, popping a pastry into her mouth. "Asshole."

Natsume glared, "Stay out of this, Umenomiya."

"_Don't _talk to my friend that way!"

"You guys are so _childish._"

"Stay out of this!" they both snapped in unison. Mikan whipped her head back to Natsume and she glared. Having identical thoughts was _not _cool.

Anna rolled her eyes and wondered mentally why she even _tried_ to help.

Biting her tongue, Mikan hissed, "Fine. Say what you want to say and get out." She was already tapping her foot with impatience. Her arms crossed defensively over her chest with an irritated frown marring her usually cheerful face. Even standing in the same room as the offender in front of her was enough to send her pulling at her hair in frustration. Did he really have to do this _now_?

Why couldn't he just leave her alone for one freaking minute?

Two more days… two more days and the contract would be _over._ So why did he have to act up so late in the game?

Narrowing his gaze at the look of suspicion on her face, he gestured to one of the sofas and sat down on the couch opposite hers. She glared at him and complied, sitting perched at the edge of the seat beside Sumire, ready to pounce if provoked. "Well?"

Natsume looked at her carefully. "You're acting like a hormonal _pregnant_ woman."

Ouch.

Natsume winced and swore mentally.

He had _not_ intended to say that at all.

_Damn it._

He watched warily as her expression hardened and her lips thinned. "No, that's not what I wanted to sa—"

"You know _what_, Hyuuga?" Mikan interrupted coldly, "—the only things that come out of that spoiled mouth of yours are useless opinions and stupid lies so spare me the dramatics. I never asked for your opinion. If this is about business, just spit the damn thing out now before I _throw _you out."

"Don't forget her Alices," Sumire singsonged cheekily.

Natsume sent her a glare before running a hand down his face. "Look, can we talk alone?"

Mikan shot him a look that read: _are you _kidding _me?_

He sighed. "Right. Stupid question." He took a step closer to her and Mikan immediately recoiled into the chair. He stopped warily. "Okay. About before, I'm… sorry, I guess. If you're being bothered, then I'll stop."

She blinked, slightly incredulous.

Looking away from his worn-out expression, Mikan collected herself. "Yeah, well. Good. Now that that's done with and we understand each other, could you leave? My friends and I were right in the middle of something."

"I really don't get why you're being so difficult," Natsume bit out gruffly. "You were never like this before, Mikan. Never."

She ignored his use of her first name and flared with anger. "What? Because I always forgave you so freakin' easily when you apologized?!" She stood up abruptly, glaring at him. "Well excuse _me_ for becoming what youmade me become." With one furious arm, her Alice threw the front door open and with a furious sneer, "Don't say I didn't warn you," her Alice pushed him bodily out of the room before the door banged shut and the lock bolted.

She knew as well as he did that he wouldn't try her door with his master key after _that_.

The three friends didn't move in a moment of silence. After standing stock still for a good minute, Mikan moved mechanically over to the couch Natsume had just been sitting on and sighed.

"Don't you think that was kind of harsh, Mikan?" Anna asked hesitatingly. "I mean, it's Natsume. He never apologizes unless he actually means it."

Mikan rolled her eyes. "Should that be the justification _every _single time he apologizes? That worked at the Academy. I _know _he never apologizes unless he means it. Doesn't mean I'm ready to forgive him. He was such a _prick _to me. That kind of thing isn't just gone from a girl's memory with an apology and no explanation."

"Well, you didn't give him much of a chance to explain, did you?" Sumire snapped caustically. "I mean, seriously. You're twenty one years old, Sakura. Grow up a bit. It's been three years. Aren't you ready to get some closure or something? Everyone knows you still have feelings for you. Hell, I was just sitting here while the both of you dished it out and honestly, the sexual tension was making me horny."

Mikan wrinkled her nose and sighed. "Well, I can see when I'm being gang-raped," she said wryly. "You guys stay here and do whatever the hell you want, I'm going to take a walk."

By this time, she had wrenched a jacket over her shoulders, pulled her bag from behind the couch and stomped into a pair of boots.

-;-

Natsume and her had always been called the Golden couple, Mikan remembered. If only whoever had given them the nickname hadn't seen them in the last three years.

_Damn, it was cold._

Her hands were dancing rhythmically over her forearms, rubbing some warmth into them and she watched enraptured at the wisps of smoke that danced before her face as she breathed out in the cold night air. It was already late at night, not a very ideal time to be wandering the streets of Tokyo when creepy old men and drunk teens could be roaming about but she shrugged the thought off.

She had always heard people telling her that she had been a stupid and naive girl back in school but was she so stupid that she had fallen for the worst guy imaginable? To think at one point in time, she thought he actually cared for someone other than himself.

She could laugh out loud if her throat wasn't so constricted.

So instead, she swallowed hard and trudged on; her feet taking her to God-knows-where.

The contract would be liable for only another ten days, which meant she'd be free; free of the unpleasant memories of the past that had come back with a vengeance; free of the strains of her heart; free of everything that had to do with _him_.

"Mikan?! Is that you?"

Startled out of her thoughts, she stumbled forwards and bumped into a solid chest, the feel of rumbling laughter met her ears. "Oh! I'm so sorry, I really am!" she mumbled apologetically, looking up to see a familiar face. "Oh. It's you."

"Ouch," Tsubasa winced.

Misaki laughed. "Don't worry about him, Mikan. It's just Tsubasa. He can handle anything."

Tsubasa nudged her with a faint smile on his lips. "Is that a compliment coming from you, Harada? My, I never thought I'd see the day!"

Surprised, Mikan just watched her two senpais together. "Tsubasa and Misaki-senpai? I didn't expect to see you two!" She readjusted her bag on her shoulder before sending Tsubasa an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry about the way I acted at dinner that day. I know you guys just wanted to look out for me and I really do appreciate it."

Tsubasa scratched the back of his orange tuque before the corners of his eyes crinkled with a grin. He enveloped her in a one-armed hug. "Don't worry about it, Mikan. I'm like your big brother! I'm supposed to worry about you and you're supposed to get defensive." He smiled down at her in a completely platonic way. "That's what siblings do."

Something big was stuck in her throat and Mikan hugged him tightly before taking a deep breath. "Thank you." When she stepped back and glanced at Misaki, a wicked grin came to her lips. "So, are you two going out on a date?"

Misaki blinked in surprise before Tsubasa guffawed, "Misaki and me? That's not a bad idea… she said it'd be some sort of reunion or whatever but hey, Misaki. What do you say to a date?"

Misaki sputtered, "What the hell are you spouting _now_? Get the hell away from me!"

Mikan tried not to think about the pang of jealousy that hit her in the gut.

"Oi, Mikan Why the long face all of a sudden?" Misaki asked, placing a gloved hand on her hip, quirking an eyebrow questionably.

Before she could answer, somebody shouted from behind her, "Can you guys MOVE it?! This is a sidewalk, not one of your social gatherings. Some people have to get by, you know!"

And with that, Mikan was pulled into the crowd of passersby, knowing little of where she was headed and only that trouble lay ahead.

-;-

Reaching her unknown destination, Mikan knocked politely on the door of the expensive estate and waited patiently as the muffled sounds of an approaching figure at the other side of the door came near. She adjusted the strap of her purse securely on her shoulder and shuffled her feet restlessly, shoving her brown hair back and running a tired hand over her face.

A strong gust of wind blew past her, ruffling up her hair and sending the strands dancing in the wind manically. She shivered as a chill ran down her spine.

Finally, after a long pause, the sound of a latch met her ears, the door swung open and surprised but gentle teal blue eyes stared back at her, blinking his surprise.

"Mikan? What are you doing here at this time of night? Come in, come in," Ruka urged as an afterthought. "It's probably a good thing. Hotaru's stressing out with the Haori."

She sighed and brushed past him. "Thanks," she said quietly. "Sorry for coming without calling first. I just need someplace quiet to think."

Closing the door quietly behind her and latching the door closed, Ruka turned around with a sliver of a smile on his lips. "That's okay. You know you're always welcome here." Then he sent a wolfish grin her way before saying, "It's a good thing too, because Hotaru's been contemplating whether or not you should just stay here for the next few weeks to help with the baby. You're a natural with Haori."

He looked down the brightly lit corridor and ushered her into the house. "You're familiar with the place. Settle in and make yourself at home. I'll get Hotaru and Haori and we'll talk," he said with another smile.

He made his way down a flight of stairs and down another corridor before opening a metal door and calling out to the moody inventor. In the meantime, Mikan stood uncertainly in the same spot, wondering where she was supposed to go. For some reason, she felt… out of place, like she didn't fit in with the perfect picture of a loving home.

The place was beautiful with warm creams and beiges decorating the walls of the house, emitting a calm and welcoming feeling into the air. But for some reason, Mikan didn't _feel _welcomed. She didn't _feel_ like she belonged. She had half a mind to run back out the door and into the streets.

"What are you standing there for, Baka?"

Mikan's heart thudded to a stop. Turning robotically, her body on autopilot, Mikan set eyes on her best friend and her heart warmed. Just looking at Hotaru made her feel better and unwillingly, unconsciously, a smile graced her lips. And without thinking, she replied, "I was going to run back out of the door to let you deal with Haori by yourself."

"Do it and die."

The stoic inventor, clad in a pair of sweat pants and a nice, silk pajama top with a pair of no-nonsense black slippers on her feet grabbed her best friend by the arm and dragged her into the living room, sending the original Amanatsu to get some tea. Any resistance, Hotaru had said, would result in a penalty of torture from her upgraded inventions that had become even more ingenius and painful.

So five minutes later, the three of them were settled in the living room with steaming mugs of tea in their hands and a plate of biscuits on the table. Mikan could feel Hotaru's eyes on her.

Before long, Hotaru said bluntly, "Something's bothering you." She sipped her tea quietly, posture stiff and elegant as she watched the brunette over her teacup. Ruka, rocking a quiet Haori in his arms, tried to blend into the background.

"I really don't know what's happening anymore," were the first words out of her mouth.

Ruka looked questionably at Hotaru who shrugged in return.

As if reading their thoughts, Mikan lifted her head up, lonely tears pricking at her eyes before she swiped at them roughly. "I know I'm making no sense but… I just don't know what happened to me. To us, you know?"

"You're talking about the Hyuuga," Hotaru said calmly, stirring her tea methodically, all the while her eyes resting on her friend.

Mikan smiled wryly at her best friend before nodding. "Yeah, it's just…" Mikan threw her hands up in slight defeat as she sank deeper into the couch. Running a hand through her soft locks, she sighed. "I don't know what happened to Natsume during the war. You know? Why did he become so hostile and detached? Why was he so heartless and why did he break me - break _up with_ me?" She shrugged helplessly. "I don't know. It was just so sudden."

Her voice shook as she twisted her hands together, "I keep trying to forget him. I mean, _you _know, Hotaru. Three years. I didn't talk to him for three years and I thought I'd be okay with working for him. Now it's just… I can't stop asking questions. I tried to forget. I really did. But he keeps making me wonder…"

Ruka sat down next to Hotaru, holding their baby carefully. "Mikan, Natsume really does have his reasons for pushing you away during the Alice War."

Mikan's head whipped up immediately. "Why does it sound like you know the reason…?" Ruka looked away and Mikan instantly swallowed. "Do you, Ruka-pyon?" She asked quietly, not wanting to wake up Haori. "If you do, please tell me. Maybe then I'll understand."

Ruka shook his head. "It's really not my story to tell, Mikan. All I can say is, he never forgot about you and he never intended to hurt you so badly. Natsume thought it'd be easy for you to get over him. He never thought you'd keep holding on."

"Easy for me?" Mikan scoffed. "He should have _known _it wouldn't be easy!" She looked away to collect herself before she lowered her voice, "Obviously he thought what we had at the Academy was a joke if he thought I'd get over him that easily. And as for him not intending to hurt me, a lot of good _that _did."

Ruka shook his head once again and ran a weary hand through, adjusting Haori accordingly. "You know he's not like that, Mikan. No matter what he's done in the past, you should know he's not like that, will never _be _like that."

Mikan's lips thinned. "Have you _not _seen his secretaries? Have you not heard of the stupid little perverted innuendos of his getting even more suggestive and, oh God, I'm _so _not talking about this. Ruka-pyon, you really don't get it because you've always been at his side." Mikan lowered her gaze to the floor. "It feels like the more we grow older, the more it proves I never knew him at all."

There was a pause where Haori gurgled in his sleep and Hotaru took him into her arms. Immediately after, Ruka pinned her with a gaze and said, "The Alice War turned all of our lives upside down. Natsume… Natsume has always been doing things to protect us. I know you know _that _at least, Mikan. Don't forget it. You know it's true and three years does nothing to change that."

Mikan kept silent.

Ruka continued. "I know Natsume's probably going to want to kill me after this, but Natsume's the type that will do anything to save the people he cares about, even if that means hurting them. Mikan… Natsume only hurt you to protect you. You know that's true."

"To protect me?" Mikan whispered incredulously. "Oh, yeah. Why didn't I think about _that_! Because it doesn't make _sense_, maybe?"

"Cut the sarcasm, Mikan," Hotaru cut in impatiently.

Mikan huffed and calmed herself a touch. "Why does everybody think I'm some helpless baby? I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I'm a multi-Alice user for goodness sakes! I can do anything you guys can do." She looked at one blank face to the other. "I _can_."

"You tend to leap before you look," Hotaru said honestly. "It's difficult not to worry about you. And you know…" Hotaru continued, playing with Haori's little hands, "Throughout this whole conversation, all I've heard from you is what _you _feel, what _you _were scared of and all of the things that _you_ have done. What about _him_?"

Blinking in confusion and surprise, Mikan snapped her head in Hotaru's direction and bit her lower lip. "What do you mean?"

"Have you ever wondered how _Hyuuga_ has felt? _Hyuuga's_ fears and what _Hyuuga_ has tried to do to patch up the holes he created in the past?" Hotaru questioned smoothly. "Because you know as well as I do that he's been trying to bridge the gap for the last few weeks. Why else would he ask you to work for him?"

Mikan blanched. "Because of my work! Because of my clothes! He said his only motive was to make more money for himself!"

Haori's wails started up then and wordlessly, Ruka opened his arms for the struggling infant. He shuffled into the other room while Hotaru wordlessly observed her best friend.

"Sorry," Mikan said.

Without acknowledging her apology, Hotaru deadpanned, "Think about it, Mikan. I know you're not stupid. Hyuuga never does anything without a reason. He has every potential designer at his fingertips and yet, he chooses you the moment he finds out you're struggling to reach your dream. Does that _not _sit well with you?"

"Maybe… maybe I'm actually good at what I do!" Mikan argued.

"I'm not saying you're not, Stupid," Hotaru muttered monotonously. "Honestly, you really have to read into people's words. I'm saying the main reason he chose _you _out of the thousands is because he still cares about you and your happiness. You keep saying over and over that he's the one that's selfish. Open your eyes a bit, Mikan, and tell me who really the selfish one is."

Mikan's stomach hollowed a bit.

With a clearing of the throat, Mikan looked up and observed Ruka for a bit as he shuffled his feet uneasily. Looking quickly at Hotaru, Ruka murmured, "Haori's asleep in his crib." With a nod, he sat back down and looked at her. "The truth is, I haven't been totally honest with you, Mikan."

Before she could ask him what he was talking about, he posed a question of his own. "Mikan, do you remember when the AAO took us? Hotaru and me?"

The sudden question and seriousness to his voice startled Mikan and she shook her head before answering, "Of course I do! Natsume and I, we…" she swallowed thickly, "We'll never forget."

Ruka looked silently at Hotaru, then lowered his gaze to the floor. "I remember everything from the day we were taken to the day the AAO was defeated and we came back to the Academy," Ruka recounted choppily.

"Ruka, don't. We can just leave that part behind us."

"No," Ruka shook his head. "It's about time someone filled you in, Mikan. Hotaru and I have never told anyone about what happened while we were held captive." Hotaru touched his arm softly. Ruka merely continued. "Whatever's said here will never leave this room, okay Mikan?"

"Of course," Mikan said uncertainly. "Of course."

Without skipping a beat, Ruka murmured, "Natsume went on a mission to save us… without you."

-;-

What the heck?

Mikan sat stunned for a moment. "Ruka, what on Earth are you talking about?"

At the Academy, Natsume and her had been inseparable. They had spent practically every waking moment with each other, when circumstances permitted. He lowered his defenses around her like he had done to no other girl before, even Ruka could attest to that. He put aside his pride to confront and comfort her when she was depressed which had become increasingly frequent when the Alice War had started and when Ruka and Hotaru had been kidnapped.

But they had gotten through that and they had even gotten past the critical moment in their relationship when he'd actually take the initiative to _take her hand in his_ when they were in public. Not to mention the first time he had done it, Mikan had almost jumped out of her skin.

There weren't many _'I love yous'_ exchanged between the two routinely but the way they acted with one another, the way he smirked playfully when she slapped him on the arm or the way he would throw her over his shoulder when she wasn't walking fast enough for his liking, she knew they were in love. They didn't need the _lovey dovey_ stuff to know. Just the sheer eruption of affection she felt for him and the way he smiled, a smile only meant for her eyes, she knew.

It was enough.

So when he'd started to act as though they'd never been like that and like he'd met her for the first time all over again, Mikan didn't know what could have possibly happened. Mikan didn't know what she did wrong, what had happened to stir the changes in his attitude towards her and their peers and it was like the day she had first met him all over again; he was unsociable, detached and moody.

But it wasn't too rare for him to get moody once in a while, but what surprised Mikan the most was when he pushed _her_ away. No matter what was wrong and no matter what problems they had, they had always been able to talk about it, rant about it, shout about it or apologize for it. And needless to say, Mikan had done all of those things and more when he had started avoiding her and much to her chagrin, he had ignored and sneered at all of her efforts.

So in the five seconds for her to run all of those thoughts in her mind, Mikan still had to wonder: _Would what Ruka have to say have anything to do with him becoming like that?_

"He kept it a secret," Ruka started, surprising her with such a serious tone, "It was so dangerous during those times, I don't think he wanted any of the other guys, Dangerous Ability or not, to have to go on such a risky mission. Security was tight," Ruka paused, "—I should know." Mikan opened her mouth to say something, but closed it quickly when Ruka continued, "You see, I don't think many were even aware Natsume was gone that night. He found a way to get out of the Academy without being detected. I suspect he might have gotten some help from Persona—"

_Persona._

Persona was the most mysterious and dangerous teacher in the Academy. He rarely made public appearances and when he did, it was to threaten, inform or punish someone. Needless to say, Persona had never been a likable teacher, for whoever came near him would slink away from his threatening aura.

He was a slave driver, just like his most prized student of all.

"He came for us, Mikan." Hotaru's tone was clipped. "He clawed his way through anybody who stood in his way with no backup but his Fire Alice and he honestly didn't know what he was getting himself into."

"We weren't… treated very well there," Ruka said carefully, lifting his blue eyes to meet hers. "The AAO isn't known for being hospitable," he commented dryly, "—and when they're fishing for information and none of us are willing to give it up, well… I'm sure you can imagine how we were punished for it."

Mikan couldn't process it.

What was he saying? That they were tortured? Beaten for information?

The thought of the other Organization touching a _hair _on her friends made a fiery hot anger well up in the pit of her stomach. Angry tears burnt at her eyes, but Ruka never faltered.

"You can imagine how he must've felt, Mikan, when he saw us. That's how he saw us. I can't even imagine what he saw. He got sick looking at us and later, he was just _furious_. You can't have imagined the look on his face. I swear, if I hadn't reminded him you were waiting at the Academy, he would've exploded the whole place with how completely insane he looked. He was—"

She interrupted him with a shake of her head, her hands now clasped tightly together, her knuckles already white with tension. "That's impossible. I kept _tabs _on him, Ruka. I know he'd probably kill me if he found out, but during the whole Alice War, I was keeping tabs on him with my Alice. He couldn't have left without me knowing!"

"Mikan, he knew."

She shook her head violently, "No."

"When you were sleeping."

Her eyes flashed to his face and he had to look away. "You never used your Alice when you were sleeping."

"He would _never_—"

She stopped, putting her face into her hands to try to slow down her breaths.

"He couldn't stand the thought of you getting captured and thrown into the same place as us," Ruka continued softly, voice tinged with care. "You know just as well as I do that the AAO has always been after him. He's one of the strongest, most efficient Dangerous Abilities we've ever had. He wasn't called Persona's masterpiece for nothing. He just…" Ruka sighed quietly. "He didn't want them to come after you to get to him. And I know you think that's cliché because you've watched things like that happen in movies, but Mikan, just think about it and think about what he must have gone through to be able to come to that kind of decision."

Ruka ran a hand through his hair. "He didn't want to lose you, not like that."

"He could have _told _me. How many years has he had to tell me what happened? Tell me _that, _Ruka," she muttered lowly. When he didn't answer, Mikan lifted her head and realized Hotaru had left the room. Sighing, she mumbled an apology. "Though I can't say I'd be surprised, the only thing that doesn't make sense is how he's _treated _me since then. He's had enough time to apologize so that we can at least be friends, but here he is, constantly at my throat and I'm constantly at his. Maybe it was fate that he made whatever decisions he did. We were never meant to be anyway."

At that, Ruka smiled sadly. "Believe it or not, Natsume loves you. I think you can tell from every action he's made and everything under the things he's said that he still cares for you more than just an old friend would."

Her heart was beating, _hammering_ against her chest like monkeys on a rampage and she willed it to still as she straightened. "What are you saying? That he loves me still? After all of that?"

"He told me, Mikan. I wouldn't lie about something like that."

She swallowed and felt the blood rush from her head. "I…"

She shook her head and got to her feet. "I think I should go. Thank you," she said sincerely, "Tell Hotaru I'll be back…I'll be back some other day."

The next moment she was out the door and running like she'd never been chased so hard in her life. She ran with no direction. She really didn't care. She just had to run.

She seemed to run a lot, even back then…

"Mikan? What are you doing—?"

_Sumire…_

"Mikan, what's wrong?"

_Koko._

Without a word, she ran to him and clutched desperately onto his shirt, collapsing with sobs. "Let's get you to my place, Mikan. Help me out, Permy."

Before Mikan was truly conscious of it, she was already fast asleep on Koko's couch, clutching a pillow tightly to her stomach, trying to cover the large wound in her chest that had reopened slowly in the past few weeks. The stitches had split, leaving the gash fresh and vulnerable.

_What now?_

_

* * *

_

_My Hopeless Romantic_


	12. Eleventh Sense of Belonging

**Disclaimer: **I credit all familiar characters to Tachibana Higuchi. Everything else is mine.

* * *

**The Devil's Contract**

_If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried.  
-Anonymous_

_Chapter 11. Eleventh Sense of Belonging_

-;-

It was a dreary day.

Dull gray clouds took over the sky. Plants and trees were slowly dying as cold bits of frost coated every surface. The streets and alleys were lonely, safe for several dumpsters and trash cans that littered the street corners.

Rain pelted upon the ground and drowned plants as the sky grew darker and murkier. Following the skies' mood, the wind blew viciously, disturbing the pile of wilted leaves that marked the end of fall and the beginning of winter.

It was early December.

The air was already crisp with the icy weather and it looked like the place was going to experience snow for the next week.

Mikan wouldn't know, though. She was too preoccupied being cooped up in Koko's apartment trying to get the last of her collection finished. She managed to bribe him and Mochu to use one of her Teleportation Alices to carry some of her unfinished pieces, as well as some new fabrics to his place so that she could work.

She knew it was petty of her and mighty inconvenient for the boys, but she couldn't, for the life of her, get the courage to walk into her apartment again. Not after talking to Ruka and Hotaru about what he'd done, what Natsume had lied to her about and what became of them.

It was cowardly, she'd admit, but the boys were willing enough to help, even if Hotaru wasn't.

"_You're running away from reality, Mikan. How far do you think you can go before you tire and it catches up to you again?" _

Mikan didn't even want to think about it.

Tomorrow was the fashion show and she still had a handful of things to do, not to mention four pieces to finish up. Anna had been staying at her apartment while she was at Koko's. She'd call her every night to tell her if Natsume had dropped by or if Nobara had paged.

For the past ten days, Nobara had taken to calling her cell phone instead, to tell her about the models that would be coming over the day before to try on her clothes and about when the moving guys would come over to pick up the collection to transport to Natsume's old manor.

This was all happening, Mikan realized hazily. After all this time, this was finally happening.

Her first fashion show.

It was all still so surreal.

_I guess I have Natsume to thank for this, _she thought wryly.

She still hadn't deemed herself ready to see him. It had been ten days since she'd last talked to him, and to be honest, she had butterflies in her stomach knowing that tomorrow, she'd be forced to be in his company. They were hosting a fashion show together, for God's sake.

It'd be inevitable.

What she was truly nervous about, however, was what she'd end up saying to him after all that had been said and done.

-;-

It was the day of the fashion show and she was already on her feet by five in the morning. She'd finished her collection late last night and couldn't sleep for more than four hours before restlessness made her jump out of bed and ready the mannequins.

Apparently a truck would be coming to bring her clothes at seven in the morning and she wanted everything to go without a hitch tonight. The last thing she wanted was for something to be forgotten or for something to go wrong at the last minute.

All sixty mannequins were ready and all of the little scraps of fabric around her room had been Alice-d into the three garbage bags at the back of the room, fit enough to burst. She had all of the accessories, like the scarves and the sashes and belts set in carry-on bags attached to the respective mannequins and before she could really step back and admire all of her work, there were several knocks on her door.

More than a dozen blue jacket workers waited outside her door for instruction. She was almost embarrassed with the messy state of her living room, but they looked professional enough not to ask and when she directed them towards her studio, they went right to work.

They didn't look quite as excited as she was, but Mikan hardly cared.

This was finally happening.

She could almost cry.

"What shall we do with this one, miss?" He was holding a mannequin with the floor length evening gown that she had made for herself in a slash of cerulean and azure blue. The one that she kept in her office. _What the _hell_ had he been doing in her office?_

But just watching his concerned face and the delicate way he held the mannequin like a fragile baby, she thought, oh well. Forgiveness and apologies would be a big part of her day and week anyway.

"You can leave that one here, thanks," she said with a smile instead. The young man nodded and started walking back when he stopped abruptly and turned around. "You're Mikan Sakura, right?"

She smiled again and replied, "Yes, I'm Mikan Sakura."

He looked thoughtful for a second before running his eyes over her. "I thought you looked familiar. It's a pleasure to formally meet you."

Mikan smiled again, uncertainly. Did she know him? Why was he speaking as if he knew who she was? "It's nice to meet you too."

He smiled and started back to place the mannequin back into her study before walking to the door. A hand on the knob, he turned back to launch another smile before saying, "You've very pretty." Before she could thank him (bewilderedly), he continued, "Too bad you're Hyuuga's."

-;-

_What the heck was _that_ supposed to mean? _Mikan wondered quietly as she looked out the window of the sleek black car.

Was that supposed to be an attempt to hit on her or was that supposed to be an insult? She just wished she'd asked him before he'd vanished out of her apartment. He didn't even _look_ like one of the workers from the agency that delivered her clothes.

Who could he have been?

Sighing, she watched, enraptured, as the countryside passed by with a forest of trees and a home to a number of animals. One of the main reasons she had agreed to work for Natsume was to make animal cruelty known and that there were alternatives to making clothes. She wanted to make a difference in the world, one step at a time. Some people didn't realize the pain and sufferings an animal had to go through just to please rich and spoiled people; the thought alone made her sick.

And Natsume was a very influential person. People _listened _to him. He always had a knack of quieting down a room and even if his voice was a low whisper, people would be craning their necks to hear him. So if she wanted to get her clothes and her statement out there in the world, she had to work with some people that she would rather not work with.

But now, she wasn't so sure.

Had that really been the main reason or had she hoped, deep down, that she'd be able to figure out what had happened between the two of them?

Well, now that she'd been told, a part of her wished she hadn't discovered the truth. Ignorance was bliss, after all. It would've been so much easier to pretend Natsume was still the bag guy when in actuality, she was just blind, he was dishonest and everything was just a big, fat mess of miscommunication.

"Miss Sakura, we're here," called the driver up at the front.

Mikan glanced out the window again, clearing her mind of the earlier thoughts and focusing on the beautiful manor slowly coming to view. Up ahead, she could see the truck already unloading her clothes and a row of cars lining up the side of the house. Several models that she had seen the other day could be seen walking around the sides of the house, marveling at its elegance and beauty.

And boy, was it beautiful.

The Hyuuga Manor was enormous and classy. Modest and beautiful.

On either side of the massive gates stood statues of fire breathing snakes that were so tall that she had to tilt her head ninety degrees to get a glimpse of it. Of course the snake was fire breathing, Mikan mused.

_The moronic pyromaniac._

As the car turned in and passed through the gates, she looked on at the large hulking estate that loomed over the people on the lawn like they were little ants. The whole place was made of a succulent and sturdy reddish-pink brick and it was astounding. It looked like a mini version of a castle and she watched in awed silence at its magnificence.

There were two sets of double doors, currently both open to let the workers and models in and out, that were massive and probably made of the most expensive wood.

Her eyes were darting left and right, trying to see as much as she could.

The car door opened with a flourish and a guy that she had never seen before took her arm and led her towards the house. All the while, he spoke amiably like they had known each other forever and all she could do was nod helplessly as she stumbled, trying to keep up with him.

"—and all we need to do is get those models dressed and we're off! How are you feeling? I saw some of your stuff today while those burly men brought in your pieces and _girl, _they are just _beautiful_! Are you coming out with a men's line soon?"

Mikan sputtered and looked wildly around her. "Uhm… I don't know?"

He smiled down at her, a row of pearly white teeth glared back at her and his green eyes flashed excitedly. "Hey, hey! Do you think that guy over there with those gorgeous Manolo's is gay? I don't know. I _think _so, I can't be quite sure though. Let's get a closer look!"

_Gay?_

"Uhm, I'm sorry," Mikan said uncertainly, struggling to keep up with his long strides, "—what did you say your name was?"

He looked down at her with a bewildered expression etched on his face before slapping a hand on his cheek and groaning. "Wow. Just, wow. I can't believe I've been going off on a tangent this whole time and forgot to introduce myself. May name is Takumi Ishikawa. I'm Natsume-kun's cousin!"

Mikan blinked in surprise. "You're… Natsume's cousin?"

He nodded with an "_Uh huh. Twice removed!_" and took her arm before pulling her towards a guy standing casually near the large fountain.

"Okay," Takumi said with a calculating look on his face. "If he isn't the finest piece of ass here, I don't know who is. Look at his _style. _He's wearing SoHo shoes. God, I wish I could pull those off and look half as sexy as he does." He turned her around and looked straight into Mikan's eyes. "Be brutally honest, Mikan, and tell me, does he look gay to you?"

Sputtering, she rolled her shoulders and looked back at the guy, trying to deduce anything that might lead her to believe he was gay. To be honest, she had no idea what she was looking for. "I'm not sure," she said finally. "I really can't tell the difference very well."

Takumi breathed out in frustration before stepping back. "Fine. Do I look gay?"

_What?_

"Well…" she shrugged, "—that depends, do you _want _to look gay?"

_Stupid Mikan, stupid!_

Takumi rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, staring at her with a hint of amusement in his eyes. "You really haven't gotten the gist yet, have you? Mikan, I'm sorry but I'm gay!" He said the last part quite loudly and Mikan stepped back and looked wildly around her. She watched from the corner of her eyes as the boy by the fountain whipped his head around.

Eyes turned to look at them and Mikan flushed under the attention. "Why did you say that so _loud_?" Mikan hissed quietly.

Takumi merely smiled.

"_Hey."_

And there was SoHo shoed guy in all his glory. His hands were stuffed into his pockets and he shuffled his feet uncertainly. "So I heard you were…" he paused and then smiled awkwardly, one side of his mouth moving upward into a crooked smile. Mikan had to admit, he _was _kind of cute. "… do you want to hang out before the show?"

He was looking hopefully at Takumi and Mikan stared, wide-eyed, when she realized he must have planned this all along.

"Does that mean you're gay too?" Takumi asked bluntly, his face glowing with excitement.

SoHo shoed guy looked off into the distance before he returned, "Yeah."

Takumi smiled brightly and dropped Mikan's hand, not before giving it a tight squeeze. "Great, I'd love to! Bye, Mikan! I'll see you later."

Uncertainly, Mikan muttered a parting. She saw Takumi look over her shoulder and give her a thumbs up before mouthing something she briefly registered to be "Thank you for playing along!"

_Playing… along?_

-;-

"Hey! You there! Yes, you! Bring me that scarf!"

"You two over there! What are you doing back here? _Y__es, _you with the boxers!"

"These jeans were totally a bad idea…"

"Yori-chan, can you tell me where I can find Natsume-kun?"

"What the _hell_ do you think you're going with that shirt!? Security? _Security, he's stealing that shirt and we need it in five minutes! … _No, I do _not_ care if it's a dog!"

Shouts, whines, whimpers, screams, complaints.

Everywhere behind the curtains of the indoor runway of the Hyuuga Manor were filled to the brim with people; models, workers, make-up artists, hair stylists, the DJ (_What was he doing there?_), this stern looking woman with a hooked nose and her hair tied back in such a tight bun that there were no fly aways or anything, and of course, her.

It was noisy, crowded, stressful and violent back there but Mikan loved every minute of it. The sheer excitement in the air was raw and vivid in her mind as she watched with wide and anxious eyes, her dream unfolding right before her eyes.

All of the models were primped and dressed, hair and make-up finished except for a special few that demanded another touch-up for the sake of their _dear Natsume-kun._ Even Sumire was having a difficult time not complaining. The hair stylists were taking a really long time with her mane of black-green hair and she'd gotten tired of sitting after the first hour.

Mikan almost felt sorry for her.

Almost, if she wasn't so restless.

He wasn't there.

This was his house and she hadn't caught the slightest glimpse of him since she'd stepped into his house. What was that supposed to mean, really? Had he decided not to come because of what had happened the other night? She could only hope that he would come, if only for a glimpse, she wanted to see him, with new eyes and a new perspective of him.

Eyes, she'd heard, were the windows to one's soul. She had made it a point not to look him in the eyes for the duration of her contract but now, after everything she'd discovered, Mikan wondered if, the whole time, his eyes had been trying to tell her something her heart wanted to hear but her mind didn't.

"Mikan? Mikan!"

She couldn't turn around fast enough before she was almost launched off the ground as a body collided into hers.

"Let her go, Anna," said a playful, male voice she immediately recognized to be Kitsuneme's.

He threw her a smile. "Hi Mikan."

"Kitsuneme," she laughed, extracting herself from Anna to give him a one armed hug. "You're looking good."

He snorted but managed a slight blush. "Look who's talking."

"Sakura-san? Sakura-san! We need you here in five minutes please! What is that cotton-candy haired girl doing backstage. Hey, you two! Get out of here!"

"Cotton-candy hai—oh _hell _no!"

Kitsuneme chuckled beside her but quickly sobered up when she threw a dangerous glare at him. He put his hands up in surrender. She elbowed him before grasping Mikan's shoulders and giving her a quick hug. "Aw, I wanted to talk to you before the show but I guess we'll catch you afterwards." She smirked slightly, before nudging her in the arm, "Try not to fall in those heels, yeah?"

Kitsuneme and Anna laughed before exiting from the side.

Mikan merely sighed.

_Jerks._

-;-

She saw him right before she was supposed to get on stage.

He was just standing there, right there.

So why couldn't she move? Why couldn't she just call out his name and tell him she was sorry?

She was a coward, that's why. Because she would have to break her promise to Ruka and Hotaru if she told Natsume she knew what he had done long ago.

Her life was so dramatic, even she knew.

Instead of doing what she came to do, which was confess and apologize to her ex-boyfriend and slave driver boss, she just stood on the spot, waiting for her cue. He was only mere inches from her, she could practically _feel_ the heat of his Fire Alice radiating from his body.

After resisting for so long, she just wanted to reach out and grab him by the arm. Just a hug, that's all she wanted from him right now, but she could tell by the look of his face, that he had either given up on her or he had had enough.

It was practically the same thing, though.

From the corner of her eyes, she could make out the familiar fierce ruby eyes set in a glare. His strong jaw and cheekbones were silhouetted by the blues and greens, yellows and pinks of the multi-colored lights that blinked and flashed overhead.

After letting herself _look _at him for once, Mikan couldn't help but be in awe at the way the shadows danced seductively around his cheeks, accentuating his sallow and fierce cheekbones and the way it made his face look like it was _moving._

And his lips.

They were smooth and the corners even looked to be tugging upwards and… _what?_

Mikan snapped her eyes up to his and watched horrified as Natsume smirked in her direction. She quickly looked in the other direction and thanked Kami that it was dark so she could hide the growing blush on her cheeks. From the corner of her eyes, she darted a glance at him again and saw him looking away from her, with an emotionless expression plastered onto his face.

Who knew what was happening in his head.

"Get ready. Sakura, Hyuuga-san. You're both on in a minute," informed a gorgeous blonde haired woman with a clipboard and pen in hand. "Sakura, you can go to that curtain over there. Hyuuga-san, your spot is at this curtain. You'll both end up walking out to the platform at either side and will meet at the center to give the opening speech. Let's hope this goes without a hitch!"

"Sure. Of course," Mikan agreed, turning away from the two and walking to the other side. She swore that she felt the faint contact of skin on her wrist but when she had turned her head, the blonde woman had gone and Natsume was looking off into the distance, both his hands in the pockets of his pants.

Had he tried to grab her hand or was it just a part of her imagination?

"You guys are on in five, four, three… Go!"

Mikan pushed past the curtain and glided onto the stage of the runway and from the corner of her eyes, she could see Natsume's approaching figure as well, which momentarily distracted her. Her eyes swept over the crowd of rich people who were standing up in applause and the large number of photographers and reporters standing off to the side.

She turned to look at Natsume and he raised his hand to silence the crowd. In a tone that sent a shiver down her spine, Natsume began, "Thank you for coming to the Hyuuga Manor." His voice was both pleasant and deep. "As you've probably realized, the newest branch to the Hyuuga Corporation's empire will be fashion. Beside me is the fashion designer of my choice, Sakura Mikan."

He paused and looked at her expectantly and it was only then she realized there was a microphone in her hand. Before she could question its sudden appearance, a light elbow in the side by Natsume made her look up with a pleasant smile on her face, still slightly dazed at the sound of her voice coming from his lips.

"Hello, I'm Mikan Sakura and I'm pleased that you could all make it tonight," she spoke clearly, though her stomach was packed with butterflies.

Waiting for the applause to die down, she continued, "As you know, Hyuuga Corporations is a strong and diverse company that ranges from cell phones to whatever you can think about, Hyuuga Corporations has made it and sold it. But for you today, the new products of the HC empire will be shown to you via models. But keep in mind, all of these pieces were made with one hundred percent organic material. No animals were harmed in the making of these pieces."

She paused before continuing, "As some of you may know, the clothes today are usually made from animal fur or skin and I, for one, don't believe that causing animals pain just to look good is acceptable. Instead, I have found a way to look both stylish and comfortable, in a way that doesn't subject animals to harmful situations. These clothes are one hundred percent pain-free. The clothes of tomorrow. I hope you enjoy the fashion show and have a fun time tonight," she finished with a smile.

A round of thunderous applause followed her words and Mikan couldn't help the silly grin from sliding onto her face.

_Success._

She looked at Natsume as he nodded to the crowd and they both walked back to their separate curtains, Mikan almost twisting her ankle in the process. She mentally congratulated herself for deciding to wear two inch heels instead of the three inch heels in her closet.

She made her way down the side stairs and proceeded to her seat beside Hotaru. "Hey," she whispered to her best friend, who was holding a walkie talkie and watching the stage.

Hotaru shushed her and proceeded to keep her eyes on the runway without so much as a glance in Mikan's direction. "I'm trying to watch and listen to this damn thing in case the babysitters page me," she said roughly.

"Meanie," she pouted, taking her seat and glancing at the empty seat beside her.

The lights dimmed and the spotlight went to the center of the stage, where the first model stood like a stick figure looking gorgeous in a dazzling red cocktail dress, a dip plunged daringly down the back alongside a ruffled bodice and thin, white sash that rested serenely on her hips. She wore white and high three inch heels and a white hair band held back the flowing mane of black hair that tumbled down her back. There was als—

A figure blocked her gaze and the rustling of clothes beside her made her head turn to see her seating buddy.

It was Natsume.

She really shouldn't have been surprised. Still, she gasped unconsciously, "N-Natsume!"

He arched an eyebrow at her and settled in his seat. "What?" he replied scathingly.

Slightly taken aback by his rudeness, Mikan frowned and thought sadly, _I deserved that for the way I was acting all this time toward him._

"Can I talk to you later?" she asked instead, watching his every move as he watched the show with bored eyes. Mikan held her breath unconsciously waiting for his reply, leaning forward in her seat expectantly.

"Oh what? So when I want to talk to you, you scream and make a scene, but when _you_ want to talk to me, I'm supposed to come without a fuss?" he sneered quietly back at her, his eyes still trained on the models. "The answer is 'no'."

Her heart dropped to her feet and she felt a sudden ache in her chest. "It's really important," she urged instead, not at all caring about how her clothes looked or how the show turned out.

"And what I have to say _isn't _important?" he said, miffed.

"Oh, just because I do it, doesn't mean that you have to do it too!" she huffed in frustration.

"Stop getting so upset. You're causing a scene," he drawled, his eyes never leaving the stage, though his full attention was with the girl beside him.

"I'm trying to have a civilized conversation with you but you're being uncooperative," she murmured harshly. "Stop being a bastard."

Slowly he turned his head and looked at her. He wasn't angry, he wasn't sorry. He was just tired. And it didn't look like he wanted to deal with this right now. Mikan sighed and turned her body a bit to face him. "Look, I'm sorry. Please."

He looked at her once, sighed and stood up to walk to the side doors. He gave her one look before disappearing. She watched his retreating figure and she groaned in irritation, putting her head in her hands.

_That kid… honestly, he was such a handful sometimes…_

Setting her jaw, Mikan bunched her skirts with her hands and headed towards the side door. She burst outside and quickly looked left and right for Natsume but he was nowhere to be found. Where could he be?!

She decided to turn left first, trudging down the path. Had he gone back to the fashion show without her noticing?

The Hyuuga Manor was so large and she didn't know where to look first. There was the garden in the front which was practically a maze. The parking lot, the swimming pool and so much more in the back that she couldn't even see or hadn't had the time to explore. She ran past the fountain that continued to recycle the water as it spilled from the mouth of some kind of strange creature. Small droplets fell on her dress and on her face but she paid no mind. All she could think about was Natsume and how…resigned he had looked at her.

What would she say when she saw him? How would they react? How would she feel? How would _he_ feel? She could only hope that they could work this out sooner rather than later, or never at all.

She started running at a quick pace and into the garden, a row of beautiful flowers were planted in vibrant colors and beautiful patterns and in the back of Mikan's mind, she felt bad that winter would be tearing them all down and destroying them.

She looked on either side of her where there were two walls made of trimmed bushes and flourishing trees, inconspicuously guiding her way. The path that lay ahead forked off and went to three other directions.

She tilted her head up to the sky, hoping the right choice would be there.

It was.

There in the distance loomed a flourishing Sakura tree.

Without looking at the path any longer, Mikan kept her eyes on the Sakura tree in the distance and ran down the path, her heels sinking deep into the soil, causing her to grab onto the bushes for support. Growling, she continued down the path, the Sakura tree getting closer until there was only a wall separating them. Her breathing was erratic and Mikan willed it to slow.

Slowing to a walk, she peered quietly over the side and held her breath.

There he was, Natsume.

He wasn't on the white wooden bench and nor was he sitting, his back to the trunk like he did in the past. Instead he was standing up, just looking at the tree silently.

Gasping quietly, she watched as Natsume walked closer to the Sakura tree and hesitantly placed his hand onto its surface of bark. She wished that she could feel what he was feeling, ponder what he was thinking.

Stepping forward, she walked closer to the tree of their past.

"Natsume," she called quietly.

He stiffened, but remained by the Sakura, his palm still on the surface.

"You said you wanted to talk," his voice rang through the air, indifferent. He rolled his hand into a fist and plunged it deep into his pockets. He turned to face her, as powerful and confident as he'd always been. "Then talk."

He was frowning, his eyes delivering an extra blow to her stomach which was already full of guilty butterflies. She could see he was getting impatient but she didn't know how to start. There were so many questions she wanted to ask him, so many things she wanted to apologize for and to explain but there was no certain point to start from.

She shook her head and looked him in the eye. "Natsume, I'm sorry."

His jaw clenched. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Mikan looked at him incredulously. "Could you just be honest with me for once in your life!? Honestly, Natsume. You can't say I was wrong for trying not to fall for you again after you pretty much told me we were just a joke! You're so—" Mikan threw up her hands and swore before turning away from him to look at the house, the trees, anything, anything but him. "You're so frustrating!"

"I'm frustrating?" He was incredulous. "I'm the one that's frustrating when I've been trying for _weeks _to apologize and all you've got for me is this stubborn look on your face and sarcastic words coming out of your mouth!"

"Well that's better than parading around your office with your skanky secretaries being hoe-bags! And you're saying my _sarcasm _is bad when the only things coming out of your mouth are stupid little innuendos! What is _up _with that?!"

"Stop playing the victim!"

"I _am _the victim! You _dumped _me and now you're trying to tell me _I'm _the one that's in the wrong? Come on, Natsume. Open your eyes and be _honest _with me for once in your life because for God's sake, this is the time that _counts._"

He moved to her in a second, crimson eyes blazing and stance, stiff and intimidating. His voice was hoarse and dark, "This time, last time, it doesn't even matter because no matter what happens, it's like we were never meant to be like this anyway."

"So what?" Mikan spat out the words. "So what were all of those things you kept doing for the last four weeks, huh? All of the innuendos and th-the the lawsuit for God's sake, what was that!?"

"Do you think I knew what I was thinking?" he snarled at her. "Sometimes I can't even _think _properly when you're around so how do you expect me to make sense right now when… just shut up for a second and let me think."

"You want _me _to shut up?! Why don't you shut up for once and listen to me! You're such a stubborn—_mmph!_"

Intolerable anger and frustration.

Tight nerves and stubborn jaws.

It was a clash of complete confusion and frustration and lips and hands.

"Five minutes," she whispered against his lips.

"What?"

"Let's just pretend, for five minutes," she looked up at him with a watery smile, "-that nothing happened during the Alice War. For five minutes, let's just pretend that we're fine."

His face was unreadable.

They were out of breath and she watched in rapture as the stern expression on his face stirred. His posture was still rigid but he sighed and then his eyes softened. "Okay."

He held out one large hand and she put hers carefully into it and there was something more than just acceptance in this. Despite the adrenaline still rushing in both of their veins and the angry words still drifting in the air between them, there was something extremely natural in being with him, like this.

She inhaled harshly and put her other hand on his neck before reaching up on her toes to press her forehead against his.

"This is so awkward," he muttered under his breath, taking a hold of her waist and pressing her closer. "I can't just… forget what we just said."

"I can't either but I've been wanting to do this forever without feeling guilty."

"Do what?" he said quietly.

Before he could even register her hands tightening around his neck and hand, her lips were already on his and he was pulled into a fevered kiss. It was soft, but filled with longing. And something about having her like this made something deep inside him stagger.

His lips were soft and tender as he gently nipped at her bottom lip and she sighed pleasantly as he slowly slipped his tongue into her mouth. He was hesitant and slow but it felt magnificent.

It felt like the first time they had kissed, and in a way, it was. It may not have looked like any special kiss, but it was. It was like a new world, the beginning of a new story, full of hidden potential with no direction. There was even this mini-volcanic eruption stirring deep within her belly and she knew that the hidden dragon in her body was stirring awake, doing all kinds of damage to her insides.

It was incredible that he could make her feel that way. And from a simple kiss too.

Her knees were smoothing down to a strange jelly and she was glad that he had a firm grip on her waist because she was sure that she'd be tumbling if they weren't there. And somewhere deep in her mind, she wondered if there would ever be a time that she wouldn't want the arms around her.

_No_, she thought vehemently, _she'd always want them._

She pulled away and rested her forehead against his once again. She could faintly feel the brush of his eyelashes on her cheeks as he brushed his fingers lightly across her skin. Mikan brushed the back of her fingers lightly over his cheek and sighed, quietly trying to steady her breathing and she watched as his eyelids fluttered to a close.

She laid the side of her head on his shoulder as he rested his chin on the top of her head, trying to catch their breaths. Just feeling the heat of their flushed cheeks, his arms holding her protectively against his fast beating heart, it was enough.

It was all she needed.

She burrowed herself deeper into his arms and sighed at the perfect feeling of belonging and affection.

Until the phone in his pocket beeped.

Groaning, Natsume released her and fished out his cell phone, realizing that Ruka's number was flashing, signaling the close end of the fashion show.

"We have to get back," he said quietly, stuffing his hand into his pockets and depositing the cell phone.

"I know," she sighed quietly.

He nodded hesitantly and turned away, only to turn back seconds later to capture her lips one last time. It was quick, chaste, but it was as good as any other of their kisses, because he was so _soft_ and tender that it made her heart melt and ache.

And in the next moment, when he had released her, she glimpsed the longing look in his eyes before he turned and walked back to the Manor and she waited for a bit, before following after, brushing a light finger across her lips, remembering the feel of his lips even though they were gone.

And she wished, that the moment had not ended because in that one moment, in just five minutes, she felt like she belonged in this world. All she needed was to be with him, in his presence or in his arms… because that was where she belonged.

* * *

_My Hopeless Romantic_


	13. Twelfth Starting Romance

**Disclaimer:** I credit all familiar characters to Tachibana Higuchi. Everything else is mine.

* * *

**The Devil's Contract**

_If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried.  
-Anonymous_

_Chapter 13. Twelfth Starting Romance_

_-;-_

_This time, last time, it doesn't even matter because no matter what happens, it's like we were never meant to be like this anyway._

It had been twelve days since the fashion show and still, nothing.

Even the never-ending phone calls and deals she'd been getting for last several days couldn't stop her from thinking of what had happened in his garden. Despite all of the emails and phone calls she'd been receiving, encouraging her with her designs and endeavors, nothing could compare to the amount of time she took thinking about what all of that could have meant for them.

Was she even in her right mind when she'd suggested to just forget they ever had a falling out and start making out for five minutes? Had _he _been in his right mind when he'd agreed to it? All of it was enough to have her rubbing at her temples and counting out gray hairs.

It was so obvious they still had something… a _something _to them that had been real and tangible at the Academy. Why was it so hard to swallow their prides and just apologize and tell the truth and move _forward_? It was like every step they took, it was propelling them backwards.

That honestly wasn't the way Mikan wanted it all to go down.

Which was why Mikan was surprised to see a note taped to her door the day she had announced her retirement from Hyuuga Corporations. It was from Natsume saying that she could keep the apartment or stay as long as she wanted to stay there.

She didn't, of course.

Nor did she stay at the Imai-Nogi household when they had heard of her departure, as well. They already had their hands full with baby Haori and didn't need the extra stress.

Mikan was done being a burden.

To be honest, her life had started to spiral out of control because everyone believed she was so dependent on them. Instead, she took it upon herself to travel the short distance to her grandfather's house which he'd left for her after his death a few years before. It was nothing special though. It was a small cottage located near the country area of Japan with a vast field of snow and cozy walls.

Mikan didn't dwell on its physical appearance though. She gathered most of her things into the living room and gave the place one more sweep, she quickly teleported all of her belongings into the small house that looked out upon the city lights. She had even left a note of her own on the door of her apartment telling Natsume, "Thank you."

She couldn't bring herself to say anything else.

A few days later, when she had returned to the apartment to find some of her other belongings, she found a white envelope addressed to her. Inside was a note that read: "Even though you aren't here, you can come to this apartment any time you want, it will always belong to you and no one else."

It wasn't signed off but he didn't have to. She could recognize his hand writing from anywhere and any place. He had never made it a habit to end off his letters anyway.

Why she was remembering all of this now, Mikan could only guess. What happened to the days when life was simple and sweet? Sure, it would be boring but she would choose a boring life over this dramatic stuff any day.

Random people would come up to her and say how lucky she was, starting off as a pauper and ending as a princess but that was hardly the case. She was still the same girl, except she had more troubles than she could count and she was in the midst of starting a new company. That was it.

She wasn't rich.

She wasn't popular.

She didn't get invited to cool parties and she didn't get major tabloid cameos either and that suited Mikan just fine. She didn't want to change. All she wanted to do was be able to start her own clothing business and to fulfill her dreams and maybe mend things with an old, special friend.

God, she was starting to sound like a freakin' romance novel.

Mikan ran a tired hand across her eyes to remove the sleep and folded her hair back away from her face. She strolled into the kitchen of her home, swinging a warm, knitted scarf around her neck before grabbing the car keys quickly in her hands. Opening the door of her cottage and stuffing herself gently into her slightly battered red Civic, Mikan put her old, black handbag on the passenger seat and her cell phone in the cup holder closest to her.

She looked out of her car window, silently watching the slow petals of snow dance through the air and falling lightly to the ground. The streets, rooftops and bare trees were laden with soft piles of snow and more kept fluttering down to the ground, seconds after.

With soft radio music in the car, she pulled out of her driveway and started the slow drive to her clothing store situated conveniently in the popular shopping district of Tokyo, Japan.

Weeks before she had consulted with Hotaru about what she thought of it, before Haori's birth and before the fashion show took place. She'd refused to stay with Natsume's business after they'd had their second or third argument and Hotaru had been working behind the scenes to secure an area she could start promoting her clothes.

Mikan couldn't thank her enough.

Her store was located behind _Fancy Freak_, one of the most popular clothing stores in the district. But even though there were cracks in the cement in the front of the store, the windows were dark and dusty and the inside was plain and out of date, Mikan fell in love with it.

Just the sheer potential of the place hit her like a freight train and she knew the day Hotaru had led her to it, that it'd be her baby. Once her offer had been sent, the patron had responded with a letter asking if she had enough money to pay the starting fees to buy his property. She didn't, of course, seeing as the bulk of the money she was going to use was from the final fashion show at Natsume's Manor.

And just when she thought all was lost, Koko had come to the rescue just in time to lend her a helping hand and unsurprisingly, Sumire was right at his side.

She had been completely put out that Mikan hadn't seen her finish off the show wearing her dress, though.

"_Where did you _go?_ I was looking all over for you! Everybody fell in love with that dress, I swear. I'm so glad you let me wear it!_"

All of her friends had been very supportive with her dream and to be honest, by the time she'd made it back to Natsume's manor to see the end of the show, her friends had all surrounded her and told her how great it all was. Mikan found it difficult to catch up on the excitement when most of her attention was on Natsume, giving the ending speech and telling everybody to get lost in the most polite way possible.

Sumire and Koko had finally gotten together.

It seemed that as her love life seemed to be taking a nosedive, everybody else's was skyrocketing.

Hotaru and Ruka had just had a baby together and were planning to tie the knot in three months.

Anna and Kitsuneme were planning to move in with each other.

And Sumire and Koko's relationship was kicking off to a great start.

Mikan didn't want to get back together just because her friends were all getting together. Being invited to their dinners made her much more conscious of her lack of a love life but that wasn't the main reason she wanted to get back together with Natsume.

She believed there was still something powerful waiting to happen to them and she had no doubt in her mind that she still held strong feelings for him, as much as he did her. There was just something truly frustrating in the fact that they still had this enormous elephant standing between them called Natsume's actions in Alice Academy.

She really didn't understand why he couldn't just be honest about it. She had a feeling he knew Ruka and Hotaru had told her what happened and yet here he was, or rather wasn't. She'd waited for him for three years. How long was he going to take? She had already apologized for being incredibly difficult but she hadn't been ready then.

Couldn't he wait for her as she had for him?

Mikan sighed and walked briskly down the street with her small handbag over one shoulder. She had parked and locked her small, battered Civic in the parking lot in front of the store.

For the past few days, during the little bits of spare time on her hands, she had been drawing like a mad woman, a number of different sketches for her future employees to mass produce and soon, the empty store before her would be filled to the brim with beautiful clothes.

It had only been a miracle that Mikan had gotten everything so organized and set to motion so quickly and she had her best friend, Hotaru, to thank for that.

Hotaru's great influence in the world of technology had earned her a company of her own and she had a line of electronics owned by Natsume, who had asked her to be apart of his company and though she had agreed, there had been nothing holding her back from creating a company herself.

So with Hotaru's incredible influence and the many _favors _she had called in, the store was up and about in no time. Mikan had an inkling the favors were a mere cover up for the many blackmailing photos or secrets that she had on a lot of different people.

Hotaru Imai was simply amazing that way and Mikan marveled over the fact that at least her best friend never changed.

The ring of the bells at the door rang loudly and echoed off of the walls of the store when she had whipped around to find the small figure she had been thinking of.

"Speak of the devil and the devil doth appear," Mikan smiled. "Hotaru, what do you think of this place?"

The inventor looked around the room without a thought and turned back with her hands in her pocket. "It's bare."

"Well of course it's bare, silly! I haven't had the clothes delivered from the warehouse yet!"

Hotaru rolled her eyes and frowned at the dust on the display tables, muttering a few degrading words at the dusty surfaces. "Baka, are you done here?"

Mikan swept the room with a glance before nodding. "I just wanted to see it again. How's Haori? Is Ruka looking after him while you're out?"

"He's fine," Hotaru said, pushing the door open and ushering her out. "Ruka's at home watching over Haori and planning out our wedding because Kami knows I'm too tired to do it. He sent me to off to see how my wedding dress is coming along."

Mikan's smile widened before she clapped her hands together and started the slow trek back to her car. "Oh my gosh, Hotaru! I'm still so excited you asked me to make it for you! I've got the sketch all done and I'm in the process of importing some of this really nice lace I saw on this Milan catalogue Nobara sent to me. I swear, you're going to love it!"

Hotaru rolled her eyes. "I know it's going to look good, Mikan. I wouldn't ask you if I didn't think you were competent. Since I really don't want to see it until I absolutely have to, we're going to get _your _dress."

"My dress?" Mikan stopped in front of her car and narrowed her eyes at her best friend. "I hope you know I'm planning to make my own dress."

Without deeming her statement with a response, Hotaru eyed the car distastefully before crossing her arms. "We're not getting in that," Hotaru said simply.

"Why not?"

"It's ugly."

Mikan merely laughed at Hotaru's unfaltering expression. "I'd rather walk," Hotaru scoffed loudly and started the slow walk towards her intended destination. Mikan's jaw almost dropped. Hotaru _never _wanted to just _walk _somewhere.

Something was definitely up.

They'd entered a dress shop Mikan hadn't taken any notice of and Hotaru immediately attacked a rack, riffling through the selection before discarding it and heading to a different rack. The line of clothes was intimidating to say the least, and the colors were giving her a major headache. She usually loved shopping, but now, she just wasn't in the mood.

But apparently Hotaru was.

"Hotaru, can't I make my own dress?" She whined, heading over to the raven-haired girl and flicking at a dress disinterestedly. "I might as well make something I like rather than buy something I don't."

Glaring at her with piercing velvet eyes, Hotaru snorted and replied, "Oh no, you don't. I'm getting you to make _my_ dress, I don't want you making your own when you already have lots of work to do."

"I'd rather slave away at my own dress than try on the whole store before I find one that I remotely like," Mikan stated patiently.

"Shut up. It's my wedding, I get to decide. Now try this on and let me see."

Grumbling under her breath, Mikan stalked towards the dressing rooms and dropped her bag loudly on the ground to show her distaste. Though she felt privileged to be Hotaru's maid of honor, she didn't want to go through the hassle of dress shopping.

It always gave her a migraine.

From the other side of the dressing room door, Mikan heard Hotaru's phone ringing, the ring tone was the beautiful piano piece from Chopin cut short as Hotaru answered the phone.

"What? … Wait a second."

And the sound of her shuffling feet left the room. Mikan pulled her casual clothes off of her body with slow, lethargic movements, not at all wanting to rush the torrent of other dresses that Hotaru had piled up over the length of the door.

Nothing seemed to fit and because Hotaru was never there when she called out from behind the dressing room door, Mikan stood exhausted, leaning her back against the cold walls of the change room.

"Hotaru! Are you there, I'm out of dresses!" Mikan called out once again over the wall.

Once again, there was no answer from over the stall so Mikan slumped onto the ground, not yet ready to put on her clothes and get out of there.

Where was Hotaru anyway? She wouldn't leave without telling her! Well, actually… she probably would, but that was beside the point.

The point was that Mikan's arms and legs were dead tired from pulling dresses over and off her head and zipping up. And what made her feeling worse was that every dress seemed to have a flaw to it. Some made her poof out at the waist, others barely covered her body and even more of the dresses fit her like a sack.

And though she wasn't the bride, she still wanted a dress that she liked and one that would be memorable. After all, it was her first time going to a wedding, her best friend's first wedding and the first time being a maid of honor.

It was a milestone in her life and she wanted to make the most of it.

So when the rustle of silk and the bang of metal hit the inside of the dressing room, Mikan almost jumped out of her skin.

It was just another simple dress but this time, it was an admirable shade deeper and bolder than green. Holding it warily in her hands, the fabric soft against her fragile skin, Mikan sighed. "Not another flippin' dress, Hotaru. I swear, I'm ready to throw in the towel and let Koko pick one he likes at this point."

There was silence at the other end before she said roughly, "Stupid, just try it on."

Hoping Hotaru wasn't in a horrid mood, Mikan jumped into the dress, admiring the thick straps that clung onto her shoulders. It had a ruffled bodice that clung onto her torso like a dream. The dress was conservative and barely dipped under her neck. The back, however, was more daring. The dip was almost inappropriate, ending a little lower than halfway down her back, her shoulder blades and the majority of her back bare.

It was beautiful, something that rivaled a dress _she_ could've made and what made it better than the rest, was that it fit her like a glove.

With a pair of white gloves and flats, she could actually live through the wedding night without being made fun of.

The thought almost made her smile.

She slid open the lock of the door before opening it with a flourish.

And her heart promptly dropped to her feet.

"…Natsume?"

He lifted his cell phone and Hotaru's voice sounded throughout the room. "Buy the dress and I'll see you before the wedding," Hotaru murmured from the phone.

Confused, Mikan put a hand to her temple, rubbing it in slow circles before looking up to see Natsume speaking quietly into the phone. His hair was still a rumpled mess of raven locks that flew messily from the wind outside and his eyes still the piercing shade of red that had captivated her the day he had exploded through the walls of the Academy.

His face had not changed from the boy she had fallen in love with, though he had weary dark circles under his eyes like light bruises. His skin, still a mix between tanned and pale, was flawless. He was dressed in dark jeans that hugged his hips snugly, the green shade of his silk dress shirt was a lighter variation of the dress that she was wearing. His body was tense but poised.

The click of the phone made Mikan jump as she watched Natsume wearily tuck the phone into his pocket. Looking up, he looked at her calmly, his eyes lighting up as he drawled, "Come on Polka and bring your clothes, we have plans for today."

It wasn't a command, nor was it a question. It was a statement and Mikan's body and heart were happy to oblige.

-;-

Casting a furtive glance at the guy sitting next to her, his eyes trained on the road before them, Mikan was left wondering where on Earth he was taking her. After she had changed out of her dress and into her casual wear, Natsume had whisked her away, paying for the dress and ushering her into his car.

Now they were hurtling down the road, past Tokyo shops and busy, snow covered streets. The drive was a silent one as she sat comfortably with him, feeling at ease with his presence until she thought of the reason he had come to collect her that day.

"Where are we going, Natsume?"

Without looking at her, he said, "Wait and see."

"I've been waiting for three years."

He sighed softly, stealing a glance at her leaning on the door.

It was going to be a long ride.

It took more than half an hour for Mikan to realize where they were headed. "Alice Academy?" she questioned softly. "Why?"

"Because it seems fitting." His mouth opened to speak and it was like slow motion as she quietly processed what it was that he was saying. "We're finally going to put this behind us," he told her without blinking, his tone serious. "Alice Academy is where it all began, right?"

* * *

_My Hopeless Romantic_


	14. Lasting Stubbornness

**Disclaimer:** I credit all familiar characters to Tachibana Higuchi. Everything else is mine.

* * *

**The Devil's Contract**

_If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried.  
-Anonymous_

_Chapter 14. Lasting Stubbornness_

_-;-_

The sky had already started to turn dark, as grim gray clouds rolled by. The midnight blue skies steadily became thicker and more ominous as the snow continued to fall down to Earth like Fluff Puffs dancing in the air.

She wanted to take his hand, hold it, but at the moment, it didn't seem right. There was still so much between them, she felt he wouldn't appreciate the touch. They walked down the snow-covered path and Mikan watched the whole place come into view with each step.

This place brought back so many memories.

It was a place that lay their past, present and future.

The slow wisps of gray coming from their mouths was proof of the cold winter night that fell upon the two. The rhythmic crunching of their feet as they made their way through the snow to an all too familiar spot by the Northern Forest echoed in their wake. Soon they were standing before the Sakura tree. Mikan dropped her hand from Natsume's hold and folded her legs onto the ground after clearing a small patch of snow away. She patted the spot next to her and soon after, Natsume followed her example.

They sat like that for a while, huddled a few centimetres apart and staring pensively at something far away. Finally, Natsume broke the silence by saying, "Where do you want me to start?"

His back was leaning against the tree and he had his eyes closed. His body, however, was tense and expecting the worst. She didn't skip a beat, "How about telling me about your midnight escapade without me?"

She'd been waiting so _long _to ask.

Natsume rolled his shoulders and sighed as if expecting something much, much worse. "Who told you this again?"

"No one," was her quick reply.

"Do you actually think I'm that stupid?" he questioned humorlessly, a snicker escaping his parted lips. "I bet it was Ruka."

She didn't answer but opted to cross her arms over her chest.

He smirked and looked up at the night sky. After a moment, he murmured, "You've always been such a terrible liar. It was Ruka, wasn't it?"

"Stop trying to change the subject and answer the question, Natsume," she returned shortly, moving so that their sides were pressed together. He shifted a bit and looked at her curiously. "Sorry, I'm cold."

He blinked at her with a neutral expression on his face before draping an arm around her shoulder and pulling her close enough to efficiently warm her but far enough not to be too familiar. They still had so much to talk through, after all. If he pulled her closer, they'd probably end up making out again and _nothing _would progress.

"Thank you," she had a small smile on her face. "Now talk, Natsume. You said you wanted to get this all out and I want to get through this with you."

He didn't answer for a moment. "You really are an idiot, you know that?" he told her, his eyes trained on the flying Sakura petals that mingled and danced together with the small fluffs of snow in the sky. He wondered at the back of his mind, how they could survive the frigid, winter weather.

"You don't have to keep reminding me," she muttered. "But go on and tell me, why do I deserve the title of _idiot_ this time?"

He didn't answer her. Instead, he sighed and said, "You were never supposed to find out about that night. I don't know what Ruka told you, but he obviously didn't see things my way." As an afterthought, he muttered, "And it was hardly a midnight escapade."

Mikan rolled her eyes. "That's not the point. The question is why you didn't bother taking me with you."

Natsume snorted. "Think about it, Polka Dots. Do you actually think I'd be stupid enough to bring you with me? How many times have I encouraged you to go on missions and risk your life?" His voice was sarcastic and low.

His voice was hard when he answered, "Never. I've never liked the idea of you going off and trying to play hero. You've always been so _sentimental, _you couldn't possibly have gone through what I did to get to Imai and Ruka. You would've lost it. Hell, _I _lost it. You should've _seen _them."

He stopped abruptly and exhaled. "You don't make it a point to think with your head, Polka Dots, and don't try to deny it now. You know as well as I do that you tend to think with your heart more than you do with your head."

Mikan exhaled sharply and elbowed him lightly in the side. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Natsume."

He rolled his eyes almost painfully. "The point is, I wasn't stupid enough to take you with me and Persona was more than willing to help me get out of the Academy. I was supposed to get in and out before you got up and I was hoping you'd be too happy to have Imai and Ruka back to hound me about not taking you." He ruffled his hair a bit and sighed. "I guess that all back-fired."

"Even _with _Hotaru and Ruka back, I'd have given you a hard time about it. I mean, c'mon Natsume, we were supposed to do all of this together! How could you even _think _of lying to me? I thought I was important to you."

Natsume rolled his eyes. "Be realistic, Polka Dots. Honestly, just think about it. Stop being so self-righteous for one moment and think of all of things that could've gone wrong and then tell me you think I was selfish."

"The last time I heard, Natsume, it takes _two _people to be in a relationship and two people to make decisions on the state of said relationship. Who did you think you were to just make a decision this big for the both of us?" The more she spoke, the more fired up she became. "I mean, does my opinion not matter at all in the grand scheme of things?!"

Natsume snorted. "I know you well enough to know what you would've said. You would've said it'd be easier and better to just work together and that staying together would make us stronger or something cheesy like that."

Mikan huddled begrudgingly into him and scowled. "… point taken. Shut up."

"It wasn't too hard to get out of the Academy. Persona got his hands on a couple of Alice stones and then I was off. He told me to take a few Dangerous Ability guys but I didn't think I needed them. How hard was it going to be? As long as my mind was clear, I should've been able to get in and get out easily and use the other teleportation stones to get the guys back to the Academy but…"

"But what?" she prompted after he paused for a minute.

"… but I took one look at Imai and Ruka and everything just went downhill from there."

Mikan closed her eyes, thinking about what he had just said and as if he could tell that she wanted some time to mull that over in her head, he paused and let the silence engulf them. Barely a whisper of wind could be seen or heard. The forest was still and nature itself looked to be holding its breath for them in that moment.

With her eyes closed and her brows furrowed, her lips pressed into a thin line of concentration, Natsume took the time to look at her closely. Inspect her in a way that he hadn't been able to for just over three long years.

Why didn't he take the time to go after her seriously when the Alice War had ended? Why had he been so stubborn and stupid enough to waste three precious years wondering what she was doing?

He had wasted so much time when he could've been with her. He mentally scolded himself, frowning deeply. Focusing once again on the girl beside him, Natsume took in the way she bit her lip, just like she had when they were younger. Her cheeks were smooth with a number of freckles marring her skin that made her look all the more natural, more _real_.

Her eyelashes weren't still. They fluttered as her eyes moved from behind her eyelids and he marveled at the thought of seeing her bright, warm pools of brown when she opened them. She kept silent, unmoving as if she knew that he was watching her, looking at her closely as he took his time memorizing every little detail that he could of this new woman before him.

Though she had matured, she still had the same structure that she had when they were younger. She was a small girl, smaller than most their age but she was still strong willed, stubborn and had one hell of a loud voice.

He smiled lightly and as if sensing this, Mikan opened her eyes slowly, almost seductively and Natsume restrained his jaw from slackening at the eyes he had been waiting so long to see. They were bright, still the delectable shade of milk chocolate brown with black flecks that sprinkled her irises like fireworks in her eyes. They were warm and gentle. Something he had missed the first couple of weeks of their reunion when they had been sharp, angry and disappointed.

"What are you thinking?" she asked him softly, tilting her head to the side with a frown on her face.

He shrugged, turning his face away from her to compose himself before replying, "I'm sure there are more questions in that puny brain of yours." Drawling, his voice smooth and even, he continued, "Ask them while you still can."

She scowled and gave him a hard shove to his shoulder before smiling. "I was what? Fourth in our class? I'm not _that _stupid!"

He merely waited and after a moment, she asked, "What happened to you while you were outside of Alice Academy?"

He shrugged, "There's nothing special about the night. It's like any other mission, I suppose. The only difference was I didn't pay much attention to what it looked like. There were more important things I was thinking about."

He took a deep breath, thinking about his response for a second as she waited patiently for him. Her hands clasped loose in her lap as she calmed her beating heart. The organ was pounding as hard as the stampede of wildebeests in the Lion King and she was worried that her ribs might break because of it. Just being this close to him again, in a truce, neither in good nor bad terms with each other, made her heart beat erratically and her rhythm all "screwy".

Natsume's voice continued on and Mikan listened, content and focused. "When I was outside of the Academy, I didn't know where to go. My plan was to get out and then back in the Academy before anyone could miss me." He gave her a pointed look and she rolled her eyes, urging him on. "Then I hid and wandered aimlessly for a while, waiting for something suspicious to happen. I even went as far as going back to that warehouse when we were ten, remember?" he asked.

Mikan nodded her head.

"They weren't there, of course," he murmured thoughtfully, his fingers fiddling with a withering piece of grass hidden underneath a pile of snow. "I don't really remember how I got to Ruka and Imai. I just remember following a black van that was speeding away from the Academy. After that, it was just a vague memory of running through room after room of this strange warehouse."

He was thoughtful, his eyes staring at something in the distance as his fingers continued to fiddle with the worn blade of grass between his fingers. He tugged at the collar of his shirt and turned to look at her.

"Aren't you going to tell me the rest of this mission of yours?" She asked. "I want to know everything."

"There's a lot to everything, you know," he said softly. "You might not understand my reasons."

She rolled her eyes dramatically. "Try me, oh Great One."

He smirked before reaching an arm up to ruffle his hair again, continuing, "Well, I'm not sure how much Ruka told you."

"He didn't tell me anything," Mikan jumped in to say.

"We already established how poor a liar you are," he drawled in a bored fashion. She scowled, crossing her arms but keeping her mouth shut.

His eyes narrowed angrily as he plucked the blade of grass from the ground harshly without even realizing it. "They were being tortured in there," he seethed through his teeth, his fists clenching angrily as a fire blazed within his eyes.

"You wouldn't believe the way they looked in those dark rooms," he told her, his voice hard and flat. "There were two rooms of them and there had to be at least thirty people in each and the rooms were no bigger than your no-star room!"

He exhaled harshly. "Do you… remember what they looked like after we won the war?" His question surprised her. With a frown, she nodded her head remembering the time when Hotaru and Ruka had come out of those buildings with faint bruises and scratches. At the time, Mikan had just thought that it was from trying to escape. Never in her life had she even tried to think of them going through what they had to go through for that period of time.

"When I saw them, they were much, much worse. I barely recognized Ruka and Imai, well Imai was—" He looked down before starting over, "—looking at them was painful. I went insane I there. Don't you understand now?" His voice was low. "Can't you see what I had been thinking at all?"

"Natsume, I—"

"I couldn't _lose_ you that way," he whispered urgently. "Can't you see that?"

"That's just the thing, Natsume!" Mikan threw up her hands. "That's _just _the thing! Why can't you just trust me enough to know that I can take care of myself!? I'm not going to just jump into a situation and kill myself. I'm more careful than that!"

"It's not that I don't trust you," he snapped impatiently. "If _I _managed to lose control after seeing Imai, how the heck do you think you would've reacted to it? You would've gone through the pack of them like tissues and you would've gotten hurt in the process. Don't even _think _you're strong enough to be considered invincible. You're not."

"I'm not saying I'm invincible," Mikan shouted. "I'm saying I'm capable of helping at the very least! Did you stop to think that I could've helped you through seeing them like that? C'mon, Natsume! You know me better than that! You know we're stronger when we're together. So why on Earth are you trying to deliberately keep us apart?"

"Can't you just see it my way, as a way to do something _good _for you for once? I'm always the selfish one and the one time I actually try to go out of my way to do something for you, _I'm _considered the selfish one."

"How is you lying and abandoning me something _good _for me?" she asked incredulously, looking down at him.

"You'd at least be safe then."

Mikan looked away from him, her eyes trained on the ground before her, looking intrigued at the sight of the soft slush that piled high on the ground. And from the corner of her eyes, Mikan could see him studying her.

She sighed quietly. "Honestly, I am so _sick _of everyone treating me as if I'm a burden. Is that really what you see me as? Something you constantly have to look out for and protect? Because if so, I don't want that. I'm not something that's underneath you. I'm supposed to be your equal. And I honestly don't care about those damsel and distress fantasies. I want to be _your _knight for once. I don't want to be the one that has to be saved."

"That isn't even the point, is it?" he said softly. "What are you honestly worried about? You know why I did what I did. You know the reasons why. Now what else do you want to know? I feel like we're going over the same thing over and over again. I'm not trying to make you feel like someone that needs to be protected. Maybe I _am _the selfish one, because God knows I would never be able to live with myself if you'd gotten hurt when I could've prevented it."

Mikan sighed and collapsed onto her knees in front of him.

She was just so tired of all this.

"I get that you care for me, Natsume, but I don't need someone to watch my back all the time. I don't want that for you. What I want is somebody who trusts me, who's honest with me. I mean," she paused and ran a hand through her brown locks. "I don't know. Could you consult with me about decisions like these? Because maybe if you explained it long ago, I would've been able to make some sense of it. At the moment, I still don't understand why."

He rolled his eyes and groaned.

Everything he'd said had managed to fly over her head. Had she even been listening at all? Because it sure as hell didn't seem like it. She was asking him the same questions and not listening to the answers. How the hell were they going to get anywhere at this rate?

"Look, if you've been listening, I did it for you."

"I don't understand how you could've thought it was for me when I've never _asked _you to do something like that for me!"

He turned his head away, rolling his eyes again and muttered 'Baka' under his breath before replying, "Ichigo-kara, we've already gone over this, alright? If you're not going to listen to me at all, then I don't know why we're even bothering to try to fix this. You obviously don't have the brain capacity to understand anything I've said."

His voice was tired.

"With everything you've said and done, it sounds like you really did do it all for me but why, Natsume? Why would you go through all of that trouble? I mean, you lied to me and yo-you made me believe you hated me for _months _during the war! I mean, why couldn't you just tell me? We could've worked something out. We could've pretended or _something_."

He tried to shrug his shoulders but her hands were holding them firmly in place so instead he turned his gaze away and murmured, "It wasn't the smartest idea," he conceded, "—but you've never been a good liar and I… I couldn't risk it."

Her heart thudded to a stop and she felt all of the blood drain from her face as she stared at his profile, open mouthed. Slowly, she put a hand on his cheek and turned his face towards her. "Natsume," she said firmly, "—do you love me?"

She could feel his cheek heating up from underneath her palm and she almost smiled when he scowled at her. "If you haven't realized already, then you're even more of an idiot than I'd originally thought."

Her smile was small. "Then nothing else matters. Let's start over."

He didn't hesitate in the least when his eyes flashed to hers and his features split into a hesitant smirk. She put her forehead against his. "You know, if you leave me again, I might have to kill you in your sleep."

He snorted but wound an arm around her waist. "As much as you'd probably like that, I'm sure that won't be necessary. I'd be crazy if I did."

She smiled, "Good, then just don't go crazy."

And then she kissed him.

This kiss was full of forgiveness that filled the hole within her torso. It was filled with regret for the days they had wasted apart. It was filled with promise, for tomorrow and the day after. There was truth and there was hope. There was the future and the past. There were memories and dreams, love and affection. In that one kiss, so simple and so sweet, there was everything that they both needed.

And it looked like neither of them was going to release that feeling anytime soon.

* * *

_My Hopeless Romantic_


	15. Then, Now and Always

**Disclaimer: **I credit all familiar characters to Tachibana Higuchi. You should play _Always _by **Blink 182 **for this chapter. It's perfect. Enjoy!

* * *

**The Devil's Contract**

_If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried.  
-Anonymous_

_Chapter 15. Then, Now and Always_

_-;-_

Hijiri Youichi was a boy without many words. Laconic and subtle, he was quiet, yet the simple things he did for others and the confident way he went about with his life, was clear.

He was just a kid, at eleven years old, but he was more knowledgeable than most of his seniors. He was following the same path as Natsume, after all. And he knew that, at the end of everything, there would be something worthwhile for him too.

He hadn't known for certain, though, until he'd caught Natsume-nii and Mikan-nee making out in the snow a few months before.

_Geez, get a room._

They were twenty-two years old and the both of them still acted as if they were _his _age. Somebody really ought to tell them so. Youichi didn't want to think of the embarrassment he'd have to go through if he happened to be with them when they started acting like that again.

Usually Natsume and Mikan were good with keeping out of the public eye. In Alice Academy, they would sneak off to have a kiss or a good make-out session. Sometimes nobody even suspected them.

But Youichi knew.

He wasn't Natsume's protégé for nothing.

So here he was, waiting patiently outside the gates of the Academy for the car that was supposed to pick him up. The snow was crunching quietly below his feet. Youichi sighed, hooked the strap of his backpack over his shoulder more securely and looked down the road leading up to the school.

He really didn't like tardiness from others. It was a wonder why Natsume-nii was taking so long. Didn't he say to make sure his ass was by the gates by three? If Youichi was not mistaken, and he never really was in cases like these, his ass was indeed outside and by the gates and it was currently about… Youichi didn't have a watch but he could just bet that it was about quarter after three.

His grey eyes looked up at the blurry cars passing by, wondering which would slow to a stop. Running a hand down his cheek, he thought angrily at the fact he was being blackmailed in being the ring bearer to "Hotaru-nee-chan's" wedding.

He frowned.

Who had ever heard of an eleven year old boy being _ring bearer_?

Even the thought of it made him shudder, it was that horrifying.

He was just thinking about the details of the wedding being held in a few days when a black car drove up and stopped in front of him. Natsume-nii was in the front seat with his sunglasses on and a small smirk on his face.

"Sorry, Youichi," he said, unlocking the passenger door with a click.

Youichi shrugged in return, hopping into the car and buckling his seatbelt. He eased into the soft leather of the chair and looked at his senpai from the corner of his eyes. He didn't bother asking what made him so late. There was no need to nag now that he was here already.

From the corners of his eyes, Youichi could see and hear Natsume drumming his fingers anxiously on the steering wheel as he looked upon the road. His gaze was careful and calculated.

"If you want to go somewhere, you can just go," he remarked easily, smirking at Natsume's face when he narrowed his eyes. "I don't mind. Anything feels better than being at the Academy right now."

"The Academy's not that bad," Natsume pulled the car to a stop. He raised an eyebrow at him and pulled open the door.

Youichi wrinkled his nose and got out of the car. "You're just thinking about the last time you were there with Mikan-nee, you pervert."

Natsume didn't answer, but the smirk said it all.

He ignored the eyes admiring his senpai, and then him. He was just in his ratty jeans and a sweater but they were still eyeing him like fresh meat. Girls were so weird, honestly. It was only a wonder why girls were so completely taken by their appearances, or appearances in general.

Obviously he hadn't found his Mikan yet.

He ducked into the store and immediately plunged his hands in his pockets. "What are we doing here? I'm pretty sure you know none of this would look good on you," Youichi said dryly.

"I'm looking for a dress," Natsume murmured distractedly. He didn't even try to delve into the racks of clothes that lined each and every inch of the room. Instead, he observed quietly, barely moving from his spot in the middle of the room, eyeing every dress with a practiced eye. "Help me find a nice one, will you?"

Youichi frowned_. _

_A ring bearer and now this?_

Youichi went to a rack and riffled through them. "What are we looking for exactly? And is this for you or for Mikan?"

Natsume stiffened, turning to glare at the smaller boy. "Youichi, what did you—"

"Just kidding!" He put his hands up in surrender. "How about this one?" He pointed at an orange dress. "They're really all the same. Depends what you're looking for," Youichi pointed out.

"Something special," Natsume was still looking around. "Something white."

-;-

"You smell good."

Mikan snorted. "Natsume, shut up."

"I don't want to…You smell delectable, as a matter of fact."

"That means the same thing. Please stop talking."

"That's the same thing as telling me to shut up," he drawled lazily, his eyes dancing from the wad of white silks to the woman holding it.

She glared at him, blowing her bangs away from her face before placing the fabric carefully onto the table. She turned sharply to face him, her hands on her hips. "Why are you here, Natsume? Don't you have work to do?" she asked as he watched her carefully, scrutinizing her tired, but glowing face.

He shrugged, taking a seat near the window of her studio. "I pay people to work for me for a reason," he said pointedly, shifting towards the sun, "—so I can hang out with you whenever I want."

She snorted. "And what about Youichi? Where is he? You _did _pick him up, didn't you?"

He looked at her, unimpressed. "Of course I did. What do you take me for?" Mikan merely shook her head. "I was a little late, but he's fine. He's at Imai's right now."

Mikan whirled around to look at him with astonishment. "Are you serious? Natsume, are you _nuts_? It's dangerous out there! What the hell were you doing that could possibly make you late?"

He rolled his gaze over to her, her eyes wide open with unsuppressed shock. "It really isn't a big deal."

"He says it's not a big deal," Mikan snorted, storming over to him. When she made it in front of him, she jabbed him in the shoulder and snarled, "I don't know if you've forgotten but Youichi is an _Alice_! There are people _after _us! How could you take this so lightly when he could've been kidnapped? How could you live with yourself if he'd been taken?"

"He wasn't taken," Natsume rolled his eyes.

"That isn't the point! I said _if, _Natsume. _If! _What would you do then, Hot Shot?" She fumed angrily, crossing her arms over her chest.

Natsume leaned back in his chair, looking at her expectantly as if he was waiting for her to continue ranting. When she didn't, he opened up his palms and laid them onto his kneecaps. "You're right," he started, taking Mikan off guard, "—he is an Alice, a Dangerous Ability Alice, Polka Dots. He's not completely unprepared and since the Alice War, no one really needs to worry about it. After two years of no activity, they're letting more students visit their families now. Don't tell me you haven't been keeping in touch with Naru."

She opened her mouth angrily, then closed it. She huffed quietly, "You're so annoying when you're right. You know that? And of _course _I've been talking to Narumi-sensei! I just… I'm not used to it being so safe there."

He smirked.

She glared at him, wavering. "You still should've picked him up on time. Better yet, you should've come early."

"Don't worry. Nothing happens when I don't want it to."

"Yeah, because whatever Natsume Hyuuga wants, Natsume Hyuuga gets, right?" she agreed sarcastically from behind him. He felt her warm hands rest lightly on his shoulders and smelt the faint odor that was so distinctly hers when her hair brushed his ear and she murmured playfully, "You're such a spoiled bum."

He almost smiled. "Bums can't be spoiled if they don't have any money," he told her, matter of fact. He turned quickly and placed a chaste kiss on her cheek. "I'm glad you acknowledge my prowess."

She rolled her eyes and slapped his arm lightly. "I know there's a reason why you're here. I told you I was busy finishing Hotaru's dress and for you not to come unless it was important," she reminded him with a pointed look. "So what is it?"

"Oh, so wanting to see you isn't important?" he asked, cocking an eyebrow and smirking as she pursed her lips.

"Natsume…" she warned, a glare on her face.

He turned fully away from the window and watched her mock stern expression. Her expectant look made him reply, "I really don't want you to go to the wedding in that green dress."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Why not? You said you liked it before…"

Mikan knew something was up when Natsume merely shrugged and said uncommitted, "I was walking down the streets today—"

She snorted. "You don't _walk, _Natsume. You never walk. Not with the dozens of cars you have in your garage."

"I don't have a dozen cars," he argued. "Only four or five. That's not the point. So as I was _walking _today, I saw a dress that I thought would look better on you. You should wear it to the wedding."

Mikan looked at him dubiously, crossing her arms again. "Are you telling me you went dress shopping to get something _you _liked?"

"It's not for me. Why does everybody think I'm getting the dress for myself?" He looked affronted. Mikan thought he looked so cute when his eyes were flustered like that. "I was not _looking _for a dress for you. I was… I was _passing _by."

"Right," she answered, clearly not believing him, "So where is it?"

As if on cue, the door opened, a flustered delivery boy coming in with a white package. "S-sorry I'm late, Mr. Hyuuga s-sir."

Natsume nodded curtly before taking the package. He all but threw the box into her hands and handed the boy a large tip. She was looking at him with a small smile on her face when he turned back to look at her, the box unopened. "What are you doing? Open it."

Mikan rolled her eyes and slowly lifted up the box lid. "It better not be something perverted, Natsume," she warned, sending him a wary glance. "Because if it is, I _will _kill you."

He put a hand on his heart as if he was wounded but the smirk on his face belied his actions. "I would never dream of it."

"Liar," she rolled her eyes, lifting the lid off all the way and taking out a very beautiful white A-line dress. "You know I can't wear this," were the first words out of her mouth.

Narrowing his eyes, Natsume fiddled with the box lid. "Why not?"

"I'm the maid of honor, Natsume. I can't wear white. The bride does. No one's allowed to wear white unless they want to outshine the bride and to be honest, that's the last thing I want," she said, still admiring the dress. "I guess that means you won't be able to see me in this white dress, huh? It is beautiful though. Thank you."

He spread his arms open, dragging her onto his lap, folding her legs over to the side. "I guess not," he replied seemingly disappointed. "On the other hand," he replied, his fingers brushing the surface of the dress softly, "It hardly matters. I'll see you in a beautiful white dress someday. That's a promise."

Mikan instantly blushed. She wondered if he could feel the beat of her heart through her back and into his chest. It was beating so hard. "I… ahem… I hope you're talking about a party sometime," she said nonchalantly, hating the fact that her voice wavered.

His arms tightened around her torso and she could feel his smirk as he pressed a kiss to her shoulder blade. Softly, with a smile in his voice, he murmured, "Or a wedding."

_Our wedding…_

She gulped.

He smirked.

-;-

The sound of rustling skirts and resounding feet making their way into the church was deafening as the one hundred or so invitees were ushered into their seats. The Nogis occupied the first two rows on the right side of the simple gothic wedding chapel as the Imais occupied the first two rows on the left, both facing the altar.

The sound of the traditional organ was absent as the melodic flutter of a beautiful piano piece filled the air, hoping to appease the growing crowd that had come to attend the wedding of the year. No one invited had declined the invitation because this wedding was between Imai Hotaru and Nogi Ruka, Alice Academy graduates and famous among the people of Tokyo, Japan.

The place was lavishly decorated with drapes made of white and lavender lace. The lights were bright and cast the room in a golden glow. The pew was simply done, flowers adorned the walls and the whole place was bustling with excitement and movement.

Each and every person held their breath as the seconds ticked slowly, the sound of the piano playing, building up to the wedding march that resonated around the room.

When the crux of the song came on, everybody turned as the doors were opened. Smiling nervously and squeezing the cuff of his tuxedo, Ruka walked almost stiffly towards the altar. He smiled at his family and threw a charming smile at the Imais. The black of his suit outshone most of the men in the room as he made his way to the front where the wedding officiate took his place at the elevated part of the altar.

After him, Natsume walked casually to the front after his best friend, toning down his apparel by wearing a black suit as well, with tails and a green silk tie, his eyes flashing curiously as he turned his gaze back to the direction where he had come from, in time to see the maid of honor.

She took his breath away.

Never mind that there were three bridesmaids following her, his eyes were trained on Mikan who was wearing the lovely green dress he'd bought her two months before. She was radiant, the green of her dress making the light brown of her hair seem darker, more beautiful as it was put up softly in a mass of silky curls and framing tendrils.

Her smile was radiant as she looked at the groom and the best man.

He couldn't wait to see her walking up to him like this, in a church like this, but wearing a white dress.

The thought made him smile.

As the flower girl, Hotaru's nine year old cousin and the ring bearer, a grim faced Youichi walked to the front, the doors opened wider, the "Wedding March" floating from the piano making Natsume's heart race as he looked with anticipation at what he hoped to be what Mikan would look like someday.

Imai Hotaru was captivating with her arm wound around her father's outstretched arm.

From beside him, Natsume could hear Ruka gasp with surprise and gulp loudly, the pulling of the cuffs of his tuxedo becoming more urgent as the Wedding March sped up.

Hotaru drew closer and closer.

The dress Mikan had made for her was a masterpiece. It floated off from Hotaru's shoulders to the bodice of her waist. It was cinched at the waist to accentuate her slim frame but loose enough not to show the weight she'd gained from giving birth to Haori. There were intricate designs dancing along her waistline and into the flowing skirts of her dress. From the waist down, the dress pooled around her feet like a ball gown, except it was loose and flowed elegantly, something that worked very well for the Imai. Her hair, the familiar short black was styled modestly with a simple veil pinned at the top of her head.

She even had a small smile on her face.

Ruka seemed to be having a hard time breathing.

Natsume could hear the quick, uneven breaths coming from Ruka's parted lips as he shifted from one foot to the other. Annoyed, Natsume jabbed him none too gently in the ribs. Ruka rooted his feet to the ground and clasped his hands together.

"You're whipped," Natsume drawled quietly, glancing at Ruka from the corners of his eyes.

"I'm trying to remember how to breathe. Shut up," he whispered back. Deep breaths followed this declaration and Natsume could only smirk.

By the time Hotaru had made it to the altar, her father had already handed her off and Ruka had taken and led her to stand in front of the officiate.

A long exhale from Ruka and their eyes met, chestnut clashing with ruby as he promised her, without words, that that would be them someday.

Yes, someday… they'd have this moment and as he looked on at Ruka and his bride, he couldn't keep the sincere smile off his face as he looked at their glowing faces, ready to make the world theirs.

-;-

Loud applause ricocheted off the walls of the chapel as Ruka dipped Hotaru, earning a gasp and a squeal of delight from the ladies as he kissed her on the lips.

Natsume looked over at Mikan, her eyes shiny with fresh, clear tears. She ran up to Hotaru and gave her a tight hug before Hotaru and Ruka turned around to the entrance of the church to go to the reception.

Natsume waited for her to pull herself together.

"Wasn't she beautiful?" Mikan murmured affectionately, wiping a stray tear from her eyes. "Oh my God, I'll remember that for the rest of my life. I've never been so happy."

Natsume stood a few feet away from her, watching as she wiped the tears from her cheeks. Her skin was already red and splotchy from crying and the area around her eyes was puffy and wet. She turned away from him, shy, as she tried to fix herself up. "If this isn't embarrassing, I don't know what is."

"True," Natsume answered gruffly. "I honestly don't know why girls cry at weddings," he grumbled, reaching for her. "Weddings are supposed to make people happy."

She looked at him with dismay. "I _am _happy! That's why I'm crying!" She took his hand and shook her head. "You're so clueless sometimes."

He snorted, shooting a furtive glance at the girl beside him. Even with her eyes red, the tip of her nose a dull pink and her cheeks and complexion a strange string of colors, he couldn't help but think that she still looked like the most beautiful woman in the world.

Not that he would say that out loud.

Instead, he entwined their fingers, squeezing her hand softly as she sniffled. "Then I want you to cry a lot when you're with me."

She giggled as they made their way across the church's snow covered lawn, crawling into a horse drawn carriage that would take them to the Nogi estate.

Arriving late, Natsume jumped out of the carriage and helped Mikan down as they entered the house and into the enormous reception they'd set up where a bunch of friends and family had gathered, a huge chocolate wedding cake towering over the tables of food.

The majority, Natsume mused, were filled with different sorts of seafood ranging from fish to caviar and finally to crab. And Hotaru Imai was already filling her plate high with food with Ruka already balancing two others.

_Once again_, Natsume smirked, _Ruka was so damn whipped._

"Natsume, let's get to our table," Mikan called.

He nodded and led them to their assigned table. Unfortunately, the bride and the groom were to sit with their parents for the reception dinner so as Mikan left to get them food, Natsume looked after her, a thoughtful expression on his face.

_I've been here before a few times  
And I'm quite aware we're dying  
And your hands they shake with goodbyes  
And I'll take you back if you'd have me  
So here, I am, I'm trying  
So here, I am.  
Are you ready?_

She was everything he'd ever wanted, he realized, as he watched her reach for a plate. She was a strong woman, maybe not physically - but mentally. They'd already been through so much shit and she'd always been able to pull him through. He couldn't even imagine how he could've gotten through the years of Alice Academy without her.

She didn't give a damn about what others thought of her and never gave up on something she believed in. She was hardworking and dedicated, emotional and kind. She was a loud mouth and a sadist but even then, Natsume mused, he wouldn't have her any other way.

She was perfect for him.

He'd always believed he'd need somebody who was just like him, just like Hotaru, actually. But to think _she _was the one he loved. It almost made him laugh, at the irony.

They were so opposite.

She was so stupid sometimes, but she had a way with words.

And her smile, it was no wonder he'd hated it so much when they were little. He never quite understood what she had to smile about, but now that he had her, he could kind of understand. She was charming and delightful, any person would adore her. Mikan was fearless and wonderful and possibly…

_Come on let me hold you, touch you, feel you  
Always  
Kiss you, taste you, all night  
Always_

She was everything he'd ever wanted in his whole life. He'd never wanted anything as much as he wanted her.

Was that the reason why he had fought so hard to be a part of her life? Was that the reason why he had annoyed her to the ends of the world just so that he could have her attention?

The answer was simple.

It had always been about her.

_And I'll miss your laugh your smile  
I'll admit I'm wrong if you'd tell me  
I'm so sick of fights I hate them  
Lets start this again for real_

The rustle of her skirt and the clink of the plates hitting the table top startled him out of his thoughts.

"You know," her voice was amused, "You are _such _a lazy bum. I really don't know what I see in you." She sat primly onto her seat and looked at the two plates. One was piled higher than the other and Natsume could see she was eyeing the higher plate hungrily.

_So here, I am, I'm trying  
So here, I am, are you ready?  
So here, I am, I'm trying  
So here, I am, are you ready?_

"You obviously like me for my good looks," he answered, taking the smaller plate. "You can stop glaring at the plate now. I'll take this one."

She glared at him. "You… ugh, I hate how you know me so well. Are you sure that's what you want?"

"What?"

She rolled her eyes and nudged him with her elbow. "I was asking if that's what you really wanted. But since you're apparently not listening to me, I'll grab the bigger plate." She made a grab for the larger plate, already salivating, quite oblivious to the look of affection thrown her way.

"Wait."

_Come on let me hold you, touch you, feel you  
Always  
Kiss you, taste you, all night  
Always_

He looked thoughtful again, as he watched her confused expression, her hands leaving the plate to curl together on her lap. "What's wrong? You're acting kind of weird."

He got to his feet, offering his hand to her and though she was confused, she took his proffered hand and they made their way out of the house. Darting a glance down the streets, he narrowed his eyes at the scenery, or lack thereof. "C'mon," he tugged her towards a carriage.

"Natsume," Mikan laughed at the randomness of it all. "What are we doing? This is ridiculous. It's Hotaru's wedding today!"

He frowned. "I know, we'll be back before it's over. I promise." Natsume looked up at the sky, still blue with tinges of grey. "We have a lot of time. Trust me."

She looked at him curiously.

He really was so handsome in his tuxedo with the messy hair and the flashing red eyes. He wanted her to trust him. To be honest, he didn't even have to tell her. She trusted him with her whole life, her whole heart.

She was surprised he didn't know that.

_Come on let me hold you, touch you, feel you  
Always  
Kiss you, taste you, all night  
Always_

She smiled, a small, wan smile at him and held out her hand.

The ride was a short one.

From the corner of his eyes, Natsume could see her furrowing her eyebrows, probably wondering what was going on in his mind as they walked into the grounds of Alice Academy once again, teleporting to the other side when the guard wouldn't grant them access.

Her shoes kept sticking into the slush of the snow and Mikan stopped in front of their Sakura Tree and turned to look back at him, wondering what brought this on.

_I've been here before a few times  
And I'm quite aware we're dying_

"Okay," she said softly, raising an eyebrow at his tender expression. "So we're here." Before she could question him, Natsume took her face in his hands and looked at her softly. She had to crane her neck to do the same.

And Natsume couldn't help but think of how close he'd been to losing her. He'd lost her once, but no matter how many times he looked at her, he couldn't believe his luck, finding such a perfect girl that happened to feel the same way he did. It was a miracle they managed to put their pride aside to fix things.

Looking back at all the troubles and problems they'd gone through and the time it took them to solve them together, he couldn't help but think it was worth it.

She was worth it.

_Come on let me hold you, touch you, feel you  
Always  
Kiss you, taste you, all night  
Always_

"Natsume?"

"Always," he said, dropping one hand to hold her arm and keeping the other cupping her cheek.

She looked at him confused, "What?"

He looked in her eyes, gouging her reaction and taking every shift or flutter of her eyelashes as he answered, "You asked me what I wanted, back at the reception." He looked away, embarrassed. "I always want you."

She shook her head, her heartbeat speeding up. "You say that now, Natsume Hyuuga, but you can't say that or promise me that. Nothing's certain."

_Come on let me hold you, touch you, feel you  
Always  
Kiss you, taste you, all night  
Always_

"Nothing else may be certain, but I'm certain about this." He took one of her cold hands and sent a thrill of heat into her body, since she was still wearing her dress and just his jacket. "You'll see. I'll always want you. I wanted you then, I want you now and I'll want you forever. That's a promise."

She smiled shakily, vaguely remembering the last promise he'd made her. Something painful and warm made her heart bloom and with the rush of warmth, she grabbed the back of his head and kissed him. "Then don't leave me. Never leave me."

"Never," he didn't skip a beat. "Then, now and always. Do you trust me?"

She smiled.

_Always,  
…always…_

-;-

_After some time_

_-;-_

"Hey Natsume?" she asked, fiddling with the collar of her shirt as Natsume lay sprawled on the leather couch of his manor.

"What is it?"

She looked thoughtful, a finger on her chin as her eyes glittered with sudden realization. "Don't you think we're an unlikely couple?"

He turned his head in her direction before rolling his eyes. "We aren't an unlikely couple," he assured her. "You're being ridiculous. We're just fine."

Mikan shook her head and looked down at his closed eyes. "I think we are, Natsume. I mean, you're this tall, dark and mysterious guy and me? I'm a short, bright and bubbly girl. Plus, our personalities are totally opposite."

Natsume looked at her strangely before righting himself, sitting with his back against the couch's back rest and his hand resting on the armrest. He pushed her head a bit playfully.

She merely pouted when he said, "Now that I think about it, you're a loud mouthed girl that is too dense for her own good and I'm handsome," he deadpanned with an emotionless shrug.

She snorted and then laughed. "You're right. That's all you are, handsome."

"You're saying that as if it's a bad thing."

He watched as she slowly shook her head, a wry smile on her face. "Seriously though, you have to agree with me, we're a strange couple."

He sighed and looked at her for a while, deep concentration in his dark, ruby eyes. He blinked and leaned back again before saying, "Nope, I don't see it. We're not unlikely."

"And why not?"

He shrugged. "We're both smart, though it's safe to say _one_ of us is smarter than the other. It's also safe to say that we're both good looking and charismatic. Stubborn, too," he added.

From her seat on the floor in front of him, she pointed a finger and poked him in the shin. "And that's where the similarities end."

He ran a hand through his hair, sighing. "Where'd this idea come from anyway? It's not a bad thing being different from each other, or else we'd be boring and ugly," he concluded. "But as it is, we're interesting and that makes us beautiful."

She rolled her eyes, huffing. "You are so cocky, Natsume."

"But you love that about me," he snickered.

She didn't answer. Instead, she shifted over on the ground, her back facing him as she rested her temple on one of his kneecaps. "I'm telling you, Natsume. Unlikely couple here," she told him, gesturing between them.

Silence ensued between them and just as Mikan turned around to see what was wrong, she felt a pair of hands grip her under the shoulders to lift her high onto his lap. Her legs folded over to one side of his legs, her arms pressed to her sides.

She flushed and looked at him curiously. "Umm… Natsume?"

"For the last time, we're not an unlikely couple. All great romance stories start off with a boy and a girl and that's all that's really needed for a great story. It doesn't matter that the boy is magnificent and the girl is stubborn. We're in love. That's all there is to it."

Mikan smiled and put her hands around his neck, kissing him gently on the cheek. "That was so cheesy." He told her to shut up. Laughing into his neck, she smiled.

"So in our story, I'm the boy and you're the girl. We had a problem but we're in love. We were meant to be together from the very start because that's the destiny the book of Fate had written for us. You love me and I love you, do you know what that means?"

She smiled at his speech, "It's the end, right?"

He scoffed, kissing her square on the lips. "No, silly. It's hardly the end. It's just the beginning."

—**The Beginning**—

…_**a**__n__**d**__ t__**h**__e __**r**__e__**s**__t __**i**__s __**s**__t__**i**__l__**l**__ u__**n**__w__**r**__i__**t**__t__**e**__n…_

* * *

_Did you notice that in this story, there were practically no "I love you's" thrown around? I think it's a really big statement to say and I wanted to show you guys that just because it's not being said by the characters, doesn't mean that they don't feel that way… you know?_

_I can't believe this story is gone, finished, completed and stuck in the vaults of the completed section of the Gakuen Alice stories, to be forgotten. I'm feeling melancholic about this because I loved it so much._

_I'm so depressed but still happy about the support and great suggestions/opinions that I got from this story. Your reviews made me grow, made my writing in this story mature and I can't thank you guys enough. Thank you for staying with this story and joining me in this unforgettable journey._

_Thank you. (:_

_**So**__ how __**about**__ a __**review**__ for __**old**__ time's__** sake**__?_

—_My Hopeless Romantic_


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